The League Of Champions
by ChampionOfTheEliteFour
Summary: The Pokemon League... the highest pinnacle for all great trainers. There are more challenges to overcome than just other trainers... A True Champion can overcome all challengers, whatever form they may take! CHAPTER 41 IS NOW UP! PLEASE READ AND REVIEW!
1. Chapter 1

_DISCLAIMER:- I do not own Pokemon or any of their characters portrayed herein. I only own characters that have not been seen either in games or in the anime._

_MESSAGE TO READERS:- Thank you for taking the time to read this little bit of fiction that I have created. To warn those that are not interested in PokeShipping and all that other lovey-dovey stuff, there will be some content associated with this in later chapters. If you are offended by this, or dislike stories of this genre then either skip the parts or don't bother reading. Reviews are welcomingly accepted, as well as "constructive criticism." The style of this is supposed to combine the game engine of the Nintendo Games, along with the anime physics provided in the TV Show. In other words, there may be events in this story that you might think would never happen in the Pokemon World. That is a warning to you. Other than that, grab a lemonade or something, kick back and enjoy_

**THE LEAGUE OF CHAMPIONS**

**CHAPTER 1: FIRST BATTLE! ATTACK OF THE UNORTHODOX RHYHORN**

The only sound I could hear echoed through the tunnel. It sounded relaxing, yet daunting. I knew that I was just seconds away from one of the biggest moments of my life. My mind was spinning with the thoughts of victory or defeat… the feelings that I would gain from either of these situations. It was time for me to head out there and do what I love to do. Just myself and my friends… my Pokemon. The Pokemon that I had been training for so long to get here. From my first successful victory at Pewter City right down to my battle at the Gym of Viridian, I knew that now was the time to show the world that I truly am the greatest Trainer in the entire world. I took a long breath in and continued walking along that tunnel. I could barely see what lies through the bright white light I was approaching. Soon, I passed through. It was like stepping into an entirely different dimension. As soon as all of those people… those strangers saw me, they erupted into cheers. I heard a voice booming above all the rest…

"Ladies and Gentlemen, please welcome the Red Trainer. Jonathyn Christian from Azalea Town in the Johto Region!"

That was me. I could not get the large grin off my face. It was such a great feeling. All these people cheering for ME! And I doubt I knew any of them. I am a lone wolf of sorts. The only things that I team with are my Pokemon. I stepped onto the Red Podium, which was where I was to stand. Soon, it began to rise. I could see the whole of the Grass Field in front of me, a large patch of green grass with small rocks surrounding the field as well as a couple of trees, which I could tell has been freshly planted. Soon, I saw a figure walking towards me. Another young man, like myself. He looked about fourteen years old, a good four years younger than me. I had been training for a long time to make my Pokemon the strongest in the world. He looked incredibly nervous. This wouldn't take long at all…

"And introducing his opponent. Make some noise for the Green Trainer. Carl Webb from Celadon City, here in Kanto."

Soon enough, he too had climbed onto his podium, which had raised up to the same level as mine. I still had to look down at the boy. He was only around five foot six, whereas I was the reverse of that.

"This is a 2-on-2 Pokemon battle. Trainers cannot re-call Pokemon unless they have either fainted or are unable to battle. No Time Limit. Let the battle begin!" the official called to us both. I reached for my first Pokeball, bearing in mind that this Webb kid would possibly use a Grass Pokemon. I saw him grab his Pokeball. We threw them simultaneously.

"Go, Venomoth!" I heard the other trainer shout. I smirked at this.

"Do your thing, Houndoom!" I called. Almost instantly, my Pokeball opened. A white silhouette of my Fire Pokemon could be seen, before finally forming into my Houndoom. It barked "Doom! Doom!" as the image of a purple Moth-like creature flapped above it.

"Venomoth, use Psybeam!" called the rookie trainer. The Venomoth fired a spectrum-coloured beam at Houndoom. I said nothing, but I let it hit my Houndoom. I smirked some more. Houndoom was not being hurt hardly at all. "What's going on? That's my Venomoth's most powerful attack!" I heard him cry.

"You've obviously still got a long way to go, kiddo." I laughed. "Psychic attacks aren't effective against Dark types… but Fire attacks will burn up that Bug Pokemon of yours. Houndoom, burn it up with your Flamethrower!" Straight away, my Houndoom roared, releasing intensely strong flames towards the Venomoth.

"Quickly Venomoth, Double Team!" I thought it was already all over, but I could see around twenty more Venomoth appear. My Houndoom stopped using Flamethrower, with a confused look on it's face.

"Don't let it confuse you, Houndoom!" I called to my comrade. "Use Flamethrower on all of them!" Houndoom obeyed and covered each and every one of them with it's fiery breath. Once it ceased, there was only one left, the original, looking very weak near the ground. It had stopped flapping its wings. I had come to rest on the ground, yet it was still moving. "Finish it with Crunch!" I called. Houndoom lunged at the Venomoth…

"Poisonpowder, quickly" shouted Carl. Venomoth flapped it's wings quickly, sending a bombardment of green powder over Houndoom. Houndoom flinched slightly, but still landed it's Crunch attack on Venomoth, It then threw the Bug into the air at a great height. It crashed back down after a lot of hang-time… landing right back next to it's owner's podium. "Return, Venomoth!" called Carl. A beam of red light shot out at Venomoth, it's whole body glowed red, before it all gathered back at the ball. Carl closed it and placed it in his pocket, replacing it with another in his hand.

"Rhyhorn, it's your turn!" Carl bellows, feeling more confident than he did when he first started out in this battle. A strange rhinoceros creature appeared from the Pokeball, roaring "Horrrrn!" I had a concerned look on my face, whilst Carl was enjoying every second of it. I couldn't re-call Houndoom until he was down and out. But he was suffering from the Poisonpowder that Venomoth had covered him with. "Rhyhorn, Tackle!" I heard Carl shout. Rhyhorn had started running straight toward Houndoom, but Houndoom was able to jump up to avoid it, landing directly on the back of Rhyhorn.

"That's the way, Houndoom! Jump up and give it your Fire Blast attack!" As Rhyhorn tried to thrash Houndoom off of him, Houndoom leaped into the air and shot out a star of burning fire, the symbol of a Fire Blast. It impacted with the back of Rhyhorn, which cried out in pain, but even that deadly blast couldn't bring the large rock monster to it's knees. Rhyhorn looked on with an angered expression on it's face as Houndoom landed swiftly, but slanted to one side, still suffering from the poison.

"Rhyhorn, use Earthquake!" Before I could even call Houndoom to counter attack, Rhyhorn had the entire arena shaking. I had to hold onto the rails of my podium just to stay stood up, however, my Pokemon was down and almost out. "Now, ICE BEAM!"

"What!?" I shouted in disbelief. The Rhyhorn opened it's mouth. A blue ball appeared to be glowing inside, before firing a beam of intense cold toward my Houndoom. It struck, Houndoom barked in pain. It was able to shoot a blast of flames out of it's mouth, melting the ice almost instantly. However, the damage had already been done… Houndoom was out of it. "You did great, Houndoom. Have a well deserved rest!" I called, returning it into it's Pokeball. I had to think. This Rhyhorn was going to be difficult to beat. Not only was it a Rock Pokemon, but it also appeared to know unorthodox moves, such as that Ice Beam… I couldn't help but wonder what other moves it would use against any of my other Pokemon… I had to make a decision…

"My next Pokemon will be… Gabite," I shouted, throwing my next Poke Ball into the battle field. Soon enough, my bipedal shark-like Dragon Pokemon had emerged from it, grunting. It was ready for battle, but I severely had second thoughts about this move. Indeed, Gabite is one of my most favourite Pokemon and being a part-Ground Type would make it useful against this Rhyhorn. But I also knew that if it managed to land another of it's Ice Beam attacks, it could cause some major damage. "Whatever you do, don't let Rhyhorn's attacks hit you!" I shouted to my Gabite. Out of the corner of it's eye, it glared at me, yet nodded in agreement. I grinned and looked over to my foe. "This is it, Webb. Your journey ends here! Gabite, use Dragonbreath!" Gathering a large amount of energy in it's mouth, Gabite prepared itself to launch the attack, but before it could…

"Ice Beam, now!" my foe ordered to his trusted ally. The Rhyhorn once again began to form the icy cold ball of energy in it's mouth. "Do it now!" it's trainer cried. With a rush of power, the Ice Beam hurtled at Gabite.

"Jump!" I bellowed instinctively. With a huge leap, Gabite leapt over the Ice Beam and finally fired it's Dragonbreath attack at the Rhyhorn. It impacted against it's head, but the Rhyhorn quickly shook the attack off. "Wow… that Rhyhorn has incredible defense. He's raised it well…"

"That's right. But now it's time to end this… Rhyhorn, use Ice Beam again!" The Rhyhorn, although looking a little tired, began another attack. It fired a lot earlier than I had anticipated. Before I could make a command, the Ice Beam hit Gabite. I looked in shock, as Gabite shook off the cobwebs.

"You alright, Gabite?" I asked in concern. Gabite looked at me and nodded. "Alright then. Give it a Dragon Claw." Gabite began to run at the Rhyhorn I then started to grin. I decided to wait. Gabite stood there somewhat confused as it awaited my instruction before it was too late. The Rhyhorn began to run at Gabite, still gathering power to fire the Ice Beam. "Dig!" I yelled, just as the next Ice Beam raced towards Gabite. A cloud of icy steam and smoke filled the battle field as the attack landed. I awaited in anticipation just to see how my strategy had fared. And sure enough, as soon as the smoke cleared, I could see a large hole in the grassy field. Gabite had escaped underground. Rhyhorn and it's trainer both looked bewildered. "Now it's time to wrap this up… Gabite, use Earthquake and then come on up!" With that, the ground began to move. Rhyhorn wobbled as the earth beneath him rocked. It lost it's balance and toppled onto it's side. Gabite could sense this and with a burst of energy it shot up from beneath the surface, sending the Rhyhorn hurtling into the air. It crashed to the earth with a mighty thud. A cloud of dust blew into the air and as it dispersed, the Rhyhorn had a dazed look in it's eyes. It had been defeated. "Nice work," I nodded to my Gabite.

"The battle is over! And after a close battle, only one trainer can be victorious! Congratulations to Jonathyn Christian from Azalea Town!"

The crowd erupted into more cheers. It made me feel good down inside. I had won my first Pokemon League match… although I knew that there were a lot of things that I needed to improve on…

**TO BE CONTINUED**

Next Time: Jonathyn comes face to face with some of his rivals… a Water Pokemon Trainer, a silent and uncaring trainer and a bizaare guy dressed as a Cacturne…

_OK, I know it's not exactly the most plot-providing starts, but the next chapter will provide a bit more of a story_


	2. Chapter 2

_DISCLAIMER:- I do not own Pokemon or any of their characters portrayed herein. I only own characters that have not been seen either in games or in the anime._

_MESSAGE TO READERS:- Thank you for taking the time to read this little bit of fiction that I have created. To warn those that are not interested in PokeShipping and all that other lovey-dovey stuff, there will be some content associated with this in later chapters. If you are offended by this, or dislike stories of this genre then either skip the parts or don't bother reading. Reviews are welcomingly accepted, as well as "constructive criticism." The style of this is supposed to combine the game engine of the Nintendo Games, along with the anime physics provided in the TV Show. In other words, there may be events in this story that you might think would never happen in the Pokemon World. That is a warning to you. Other than that, grab a lemonade or something, kick back and enjoy_

**THE LEAGUE OF CHAMPIONS**

**CHAPTER 2: RIVALS! WHO ARE FRIENDS? WHO ARE FOES**

"Hey," I heard a sly and sinister voice call to me. I looked around, but there was no-one there at all. I was all alone until I turned back around to face the direction I had been walking. At the other end of the tunnel, a teenage boy with purple hair stood in front of me. He had his arms crossed and his eyes closed, yet his head was bowing slightly. I took a step forward towards the boy, but he slowly unwrapped his arms and paced toward me as well. He stopped just a couple of yards from my position. He opened his eyes and looked at me with an unimpressed stare. "If that was your best, you may as well go home," he frowned apathetically. My eyes narrowed slightly at hearing this comment, but then I simply chuckled at him. "What so funny? I wouldn't be laughing after a match like that," he scowled at me. However, I took no notice.

"If you think that's my best, you're sadly mistaken," I retorted, glaring at the demeaning youth. He simply smirked back at me.

"Then I guess that your best still won't be good enough to get through to the next round," he mocked cunningly. I snarled at him a little, his mind games were starting to get to. "You're Jonathyn, right? And I hear that you're from Johto. The Pokemon there are pathetic. There's nothing there that can really hold a candle to some of the Pokemon back where I come from."

"Is that so?" I snorted back, trying my best to hide the frustration that he had given me. "Let me guess, you must live somewhere where there's a whole bunch of different Pokemon. Route 101, perhaps?" I began to mock him back. "I heard that the Rattata out there can grow up to level 2 or something…"

"You can make all the jokes you want, actions speak louder than words. I'm from Sinnoh." The purple haired antagonist smirked. I put on an unphased look, I had travelled to Sinnoh a couple of times before… but only briefly. That was the time I captured my dear Gabite, although it was only a Gible at the time…

"Listen… whoever you are…"

"I have a name, you know," the boy sneered. "It's Paul. It's a name that you won't soon forget."

"Really?" I smiled. "I've forgotten already. Now if you'll excuse me, I need to get my Houndoom and my Gabite to a Pokemon Centre. Not to mention find out who my next opponent is…" I began to stride past Paul, but he seemed to block me off by shoving his shoulder in the direction of which I was walking. "Watch it, I've got things to do."

"I hope you win your next match. I look forward to proving to you that you really are a loser." With that, he shoved past me and headed down the other direction of the corridor. I glared at him as he placed his hands in his pockets and strolled casually into the distance. I could feel a lot of anger building up inside of me, but before I could unleash it, I felt someone bump into me.

"Hey, watch where you're going, would you?" I bellowed in frustration. However my anger quickly vanished when I saw the person who had collided with me. A tall teenage boy with curly purple hair that was almost the same colour as Paul's. However, this guy seemed a little bit more… flamboyant.

"Ooh," he giggled "I thought I broke a nail. But never mind, it's fine. What's the matter, little fella. You seem a bit hot under the collar." I could not believe how camp this guy sounded. But nonetheless, I thought it would be best to apologise.

"Ummm… sorry about snapping at you. I'm just a little frustrated right now, that's all." I tried to sound as sorry as possible, but at the same time I just wanted to get away from this weird man.

"Don't worry your pretty little head about it," beamed the man, who I had just noticed was dressed in a familiar way, but I couldn't put my finger on it. "So, I suppose you're through to Round 2, good for you! I'm just about to go for my first round battle now."

"Well, the best of luck to you," I began to walk by, but he seemed to bound right in front of me.

"I saw the way you handled your gorgeous Houndoom. Quite a strong Pokemon you have there," he grinned.

"Thanks. I just need to get him and Gabite to a Pokemon Centre to heal, so if you wouldn't mind…"

"Oh, not at all. Be my guest. The name's Harley by the way," he chuckled once again. Harley… that name sounded familiar as well, which is when I noticed he was dressed in clothing that mimicked a Cacturne.

"Hold on," I suddenly pipped up. "Aren't you a Pokemon Coordinator? You entered the Johto Grand Festival last year, right?"

"Oh, I have a fan!" Harley squealed with overenthusiastic delight. He began to squeeze me rather tightly, yet affectionately. I went a bright shade of red that rivalled that of a beetroot, through both embarrassment and lack of oxygen. He finally let go of me, at which point I started panting for breath. "That's right. I did! My wonderful Pokemon were so fantastic I got through to the final four, but sadly I lost out to some girl named Soledad. I came back to Kanto to try out my skills as a trainer. As beautiful and wonderful as Coordinating is, I just thought my Pokemon have enough power to beat anyone."

"Fair enough," I smiled weakly. "Well, nice to see you." With that I quickly made my exit.

"Take care of yourself, sugar beet," Harley waved behind me in a cooing style. My brisk walk turned into a near sprint. The flamboyance of that guy disturbed me a little. As I turned the corner and followed the corridor around to the main lobby, I noticed someone waving me over.

"Jonathyn, could you come here for a second?" I could make out the words that Nurse Joy was saying to me. I sighed, but figured that she could heal my Pokemon for me there and then potentially. I walked over to her, holding Houndoom and Gabite's Pokeballs in my hand.

"What's up, Nurse Joy?" I asked in a more polite fashion than I had addressed certain other people throughout the day.

"It's time for you to select your next opponent," she smiled kindly at me. "Here, I can heal your Pokemon while you pick your opponent." She produced a tray in which six Pokeballs could fit perfectly. I placed my two Pokeballs into the tray, when she said to me, "If you go over there to the pond, grab a fishing rod to catch a Feebas. Your opponent's code will be on the one you catch. Good luck."

"Thanks, Nurse Joy," I nodded appreciatively as Nurse Joy handed her tray to a relaxed Blissey. I anxiously strutted over to the fishing pond, where other trainers were fishing for their opponents. I joined the back of the queue, where there were a good five people in front of me waiting for their turn. The trainer in front of me, a girl with spiky ginger hair was holding on to a custom made fishing rod that seemed to resemble a Gyarados. I went to take a closer look at the amazing craftsmanship of the rod, when she stepped forward. The hook caught the back of my ear. I winced in pain as I struggled to get the hook free. The girl turned around to notice my predicament. She quickly helped me out and untangled the line. I held the lobe of my ear in pain, but fortunately there was no blood.

"I'm really sorry about that!" she warm-heartedly apologised, when she recognised my face… "Oh my goodness! Jonathyn!"

I looked up and took a look into her twinkling eyes. Mine widened when I finally put a name to her face. "Misty! What are you doing here?" I smiled, happy to finally see a kind and old friend.

"My sisters are back for a while and are taking care of the Gym back in Cerulean City for me. So I thought I'd take on the Pokemon League. I've already got my badges and got through the first round. Although I know it seems a bit strange for a Gym Leader to be taking on the Pokemon League challenge." She giggled a little to herself in a more sincere way than Harley did. "In fact, they came back just two days after you won your Cascade Badge from me."

"Really? Wow. It's great to see you here. I hardly know anyone," I sighed.

"That's OK," she smiled. "I'm sure there will be other people that you have met on the road or you could even make friends here."

"That's true," I bobbed my head, although somewhat half-heartedly. I took a small glance in front of Misty and noticed that there was no-one in front of her. Some other trainers behind us were getting a little impatient with us. "You'd better pick your next opponent, Misty," I prodded her. She looked in front of her and chuckled a little bit. "OK, here I go…" she smiled as she lowered her fishing rod into the pool. She waited for a few moments, but it wasn't long before a Feebas took a bite! With one quick yank, she pulled it out of the water. The Feebas wriggled and writhed in her arms as she took it over to the main counter. "Use my rod if you want to," she nicely offered. I nodded with a content smile. Without delay, I threw the hook into the water. Almost instantaneously, a Feebas leapt up and took hold of the hook. I simply grabbed it before it flopped back into the water, dropping Misty's rod to the ground with a clatter. With one small glance, I read the code that I had been written on the side of the Feebas. KAN-101. Obviously, the KAN was a reference to the Kanto Pokemon League. However, the identity of "101" would be mysterious to me until the officials told me. I walked over to where Misty was stood, dragging her rod behind me. I looked up to see who she was facing and I took a step back, somewhat shocked. Her face on the left had been paired to battle a boy with purple hair. The boy I recognised as Paul, the arrogant kid who confront me early.

"Misty, do me a favour," I scowled. "Beat him. And beat him well."

"Don't worry," she said with a battle-ready look on her face. "I have no intention on losing." I smiled, hoping that she could wipe that sick grin of Paul's face for good. But my vengeance could wait. It was my turn to see who I was facing. Nurse Joy smiled, handing me back my Houndoom and Gabite.

"Thanks, Nurse Joy. So who am I facing? KAN-101 is what I got," I shook with nerves. I wished that I could have faced Paul, but even getting rid of Harley would quench my thirst for victory. But the face that appeared on the screen looked alien to me. I had never seen it before. It was that of a young girl wearing a black and yellow baseball shirt in a cap with a distinctive "Let's Go Electabuzz!" slogan written across it. Misty smiled at me. "Do you know who that is?" I asked.

"That's Casey. She's also from Johto and a huge fan of the Electabuzz Baseball Team." Misty seemed to have her eyes fixated on the picture of her old friend. I simply saw the picture and thought to myself "so that's who I've got to beat." I noticed that Misty was looking at me somewhat coyly. I looked at her, she blushed a little before letting out a small laugh.

"What's so funny?" I asked, softly.

"It's nothing. You remind me of my friend, Ash. He is a lot like you." She had gone pink, I smiled at this notion. "Say, do you fancy going to get something to eat?" She asked.

"Sure, why not?" I smiled with glee. We both started walking toward the exit, when Misty suddenly looked over with a snarl at something. I looked over, only to see Paul stood on the other side of the lobby. Once again, his arms were folded and he had propped himself against the wall. He was shaking his head unapprovingly. I sneered at him too. Paul laughed to himself before walking away, leaving Misty and I feeling the aftermath of his mocking taunts…

**TO BE CONTINUED**

Next Time: Misty meets another old friend, who gives her something that could come in useful. And Harley finishes his first round match. Will he progress to Round 2?


	3. Chapter 3

_DISCLAIMER:- I do not own Pokemon or any of their characters portrayed herein. I only own characters that have not been seen either in games or in the anime._

_MESSAGE TO READERS:- Thank you for taking the time to read this little bit of fiction that I have created. To warn those that are not interested in PokeShipping and all that other lovey-dovey stuff, there will be some content associated with this in later chapters. If you are offended by this, or dislike stories of this genre then either skip the parts or don't bother reading. Reviews are welcomingly accepted, as well as "constructive criticism." The style of this is supposed to combine the game engine of the Nintendo Games, along with the anime physics provided in the TV Show. In other words, there may be events in this story that you might think would never happen in the Pokemon World. That is a warning to you. Other than that, grab a lemonade or something, kick back and enjoy_

**THE LEAGUE OF CHAMPIONS**

**CHAPTER 3: MISTY MEETS AN OLD FRIEND! DINNER DISASTER!**

Although I had not seen her for months and months, we were talking as though we had not spent a second apart. Not since I defeated her back in the Cerulean Gym had I heard or even spoken to her. And yet we were both so intruiged by each other that we could not stop talking. We had been talking pretty much ever since we returned to the Trainer's Village. She seemed so warm and pleasant, it was difficult not to. We were sat in my cabin. A small, apartment like structure with basic ammenities. A bed, a television, washing facilities with towels and such things. There was also a refridgerator, in which was full of fresh fruit, candy bars and drinks, which thankfully for me were free of charge. Misty was sat on the bed in which I had been sleeping since I arrived. She held a glass of fizzing lemonade in her hand. I was stood in front of a mirror, making sure that my hair looked the way I wanted it to. It was alien to me why. I never usually feel the need to make myself more presentable when I have company. But for some reason, this time was different.

"What time do you want to go and get some dinner?" Misty asked me, before taking another small sip of her chilled carbonated drink.

"I don't mind," I replied, still adjusting the position of my dark brown, pointy hair. "Whenever it suits you."

"Oh… I don't really mind either," Misty smiled kindly. I turned around to face her. She looked back up at me with a twinkling gaze. "I suppose we should go sooner rather than later," she sighed. "Otherwise all the cafeterias will be packed." I nodded in agreement, offering to take her hand. She accepted and I pulled her up to her feet, quickly finishing off her lemonade. We both looked at each other again, but we quickly turned away. I could tell she was blushing, but then again I think to a degree so was I. She began to walk towards the door, grabbing her jacket and throwing it around her shoulders, before sliding her arms slowly down the sleeve until her hands emerged at the other end. "Ready to go?" she asked politely.

"Sure," I nodded as I too zipped up my jacket. She opened the door, allowing an icy cold breeze the blow into the cabin. Misty shuddered a little in the cold, but I did not mind it. I though to myself that it could never be as bad as the sheer cold conditions at Snowpoint in Sinnoh. We both took a step outside and I closed the door behind me as I exit. We began walking toward the bright lights in the near distance, which I could tell was Viridian City. I had placed my hands in my pockets, but Misty held her arms down by her side, but slighty in my direction. She looked down and quickly pulled it back and placed them in her own pockets. She looked a little embarrassed. It was as though she was trying to take hold of my hand. But I wasn't too keen at this point. We could easily end up as rivals later in the contest. Although I could not deny the fact that I found her kind of attractive.

Several minutes had passed and already we were on the outskirts of the city. For some reason, she did not say so much of a word to me. But neither did I. Something seemed to be on her mind. "You alright?" I broke the silence with the question.

"Huh?" She mumbled, a little surprised. "Yeah, yeah…I'm fine," she responded, lowering her head a little. "I was just thinking of something."

"What is it?" I comfortingly asked. "Perhaps I can help in some way?"

"That's kind of you, but I'm fine," Misty confirmed. "I was just thinking back to some of the times I spent with some of my old friends."

"Like me, you mean?" came a voice from behind us. We both turned around to see a rather tall teenage boy with tanned skin and spiky brown hair. His eyes were extremely narrow, but he had an honest expression. Misty suddenly began to smile almost uncontrollably. "Good to see you, Misty. You're looking well," The boy complimented.

"Oh wow!" Misty beamed. "Brock, I can't believe it's you!" She ran over to him and wrapped her arms around his neck and gave him a long, somewhat neverending cuddle. I felt something inside of me sink a little bit, but I thought nothing of it. "What are you doing here?"

"Well, I've just come back from the Sevii Islands with Ash," the boy named Brock began. "He's visiting May and Max over in Hoenn right now, so I decided to come and check up on you. Your sisters told me you had entered the Pokemon League, so I thought I'd drop by."

"I'm glad you did," Misty grinned with happiness. "By the way, this is Jonathyn. He's also a good friend of mine." I let out a smile to Brock, although something about Misty calling me a good friend made me feel a bit disheartened. Maybe we could be more…

"Nice to meet you," Brock said warmly, offering his hand in friendship. Without hesitation, for Misty's sake, I took a firm hold and shook it.

"Same to you, Brock," I smiled half-heartedly. "So, do you want to come for some dinner with us," I offered, figuring this might keep Misty happy.

"Sure, I'm starved," Brock nodded, rubbing his stomach in ecstacy. "I know a great restaurant that's not too far from here. If we hurry, we can get a good table before it gets full."

"Sounds good to me," Misty giggled, as we began to continue walking. This time alongside Brock, who had reached into his pocket and pulled out something. It looked like a small present. It was spherical in shape, roughly around the size of a Pokeball. But it was wrapped in paper with a pattern of Psyduck on it and topped off with a blue ribbon. "What's this?" she asked Brock, taking an indulged look at the object.

"I thought you might be able to use this in the tournament," Brock replied, holding it out in Misty's direction. "I figured that you could put it to good use. But open it later, after we've eaten."

"Sure. Thanks Brock," Misty smiled with gratitude for her gift. I felt a little bit uneasy with this gesture, but still I thought that Brock was genuine and that seemed to make me feel a little bit better about the situation.

Soon enough, we had taken a seat in a large restaurant called "Hippow-Chow-Down," a rather corny named restaurant with a neon sign of a Hippowdon advertising it. All three of us had taken a seat just beneath a large TV monitor and had ordered our food. Already, we had begun eating and were approaching completion of our meals. Misty and Brock were both enjoying their meals and we talking of past memories. However, there was one name that kept on coming up again and again… Ash… who was he? And why were there so many memories of him. But before I could ask, I noticed something on the screen.

"And this match is getting more and more intense. Harley has already demolished his opponent's Kingler using his Cacturne, but which Pokemon will come out next?"

"Hey, it's that Harley guy," I pointed, screwing up my face at the mere mention of his name. Misty and Brock stopped talking for just a moment to look at what was going on.

"Harley!? What's he doing here?" Brock yelled. Several other people looked to face him with angered looks. He soon put his hands across him mouth. Many people resumes eating, although a couple of people made unheard comments.

"Do you know that guy?" Misty asked.

"He's a total fruitcake," Brock began. "He used to be a real thorn in May's side when she was at Pokemon Contests. All in all, he's not a nice guy." Brock then began to frown. "Although he is very cunning, not to mention strong."

"I'm just going to watch the end of this battle," I said, peering up at the screen with deep interest. I noticed that Harley's Cacturne was now facing a large, walking pig with several black orbs protruding from it's forehead and body. The Grumpig appeared to launch some form of Psychic type attack. "That'll never work," I groaned. "Cacturne's a Dark Pokemon, Psychic attacks don't do much." Misty and Brock seemed a little taken aback about my knowledge of Pokemon moves and techniques. But to me it was common knowledge. I then noticed Harley ordering his Cacturne to attack from the air. With one bound, it leapt up and launched itself from a tall boulder that was standing tall from the Rock Field. It spread it's arms out wide, when I suddenly spotted a frightening sight. Several long razor sharp spikes had shot out from the innards of Cacturne's arms. It was using Needle Arm. However, it began to float back and forth in midair. I thought to myself that this was impossible. That is until I came to realise that Cacturne must be combining Needle Arm and Faint Attack. "I can tell he used to be a Coordinater. Just look how perfectly he combined those two moves," I once again noted to myself, although Misty and Brock could still hear me. Cacturne's attack had knocked the opponent's Grumpig into some rocks, but still the Psychic type came back. It used it's Psychic powers to lift Cacturne into the air, although it was doing quite well to resist the attack. The pig then curled up it's tail and used it to Bounce up and attack Cacturne. "Bounce is a flying type move, so it's super effective against a grass type." I whispered to myself, hoping that Misty and Brock would not be able to overhear. Although this indeed was a good hit, Cacturne was still standing. I noticed it sway a little as it darted toward Grumpig. It was using Faint Attack again. It disappeared into thin air, before appearing right in front of Grumpig, knocking it down and out. The official had raised his flag. Harley had won. "Damn it," I scowled. This time, everyone turned around to face me with the same angered looks as they had given Brock. In turn, I too held my hands in front of my mouth and apologised silently. I looked back at the screen, where Harley was flamboyantly celebrating.

"Cacturne, you're an absolutely dime and a treasure!" I heard him cheer from the screen. I turned away in disgust, when I noticed Brock was shuffling toward the edge of his seat.

"Well, I'm going to head back. It was a long walk here," Brock yawned, stretching his arms. As he did, a pretty young waitress walked past. "Pardon me, miss," Brock suddenly leapt out of his seat in front of the girl quicker than a Ninjask. "Could I get a delicious serving of your love?" he wooed with hearts in his eyes. I suddenly noticed from nowhere, a Croagunk had appeared and dragged Brock away by his ear. Misty started to laugh as the waitress stood completely bemused by what had just happened.

"Well, I suppose it saves me doing it," Misty chuckled, as the Croagunk dragged Brock all the way out of the restaurant. "Well catch up with you later, Brock!" Misty called, waving. But she suddenly stopped as Paul walked past us.

"Even your friend is pathetic," he snorted, taking a seat as far away from the two of us as possible. Misty snarled and raced over to where he was sat.

"What did you say?" she boomed angrily. Once again, people turned to look at her, but her hard stare made them all turn back around again. I caught up with her, although I felt impressed by her anger.

"You heard me," Paul uttered, as he started to read from the menu.

"What makes you think that you're so special?" Misty snarled.

"Do you even know when we are scheduled to battle?" he asked, looking unamused. Misty pondered, trying to think. "It's tomorrow, in the morning. Arena 5." He snickered mockingly at Misty.

"I've just realised something," I said out loud, but as if I was talking to myself. "Paul actually has about as much skill as a school of Magikarp," I laughed in an attempt to mock Paul. Paul stood up threateningly, although I was far from intimidated.

"Your words mean nothing to me. I have no time to waste on a couple of losers like you," he sneered. "I look forward to beating you tomorrow," and with that he abruptly left.

"Wait," Misty roared. But Paul took no notice. He carried on walking out of the restaurant into the hoards of people out on the street. "Grrrrr," she growled. "I can't stand that guy."

"Relax, let's go get some sleep," I suggested. "You'll feel better in the morning."

"Yeah, you're right," she sighed. With that we grabbed our jackets and headed for the exit. Night was descending quickly, so we walked faster. It seemed to be even colder than before…

We arrived back in the Trainer's Village as darkness fell. Misty had stopped by her apartment, situated in a large block of flat. Several trainers were walking with their Pokemon, mainly the night-dwelling types such as Noctowl and Golbat.

"Thanks for today, Jonathyn." Misty smiled at me. "I had a nice time with you today, even if things did get a little crazy at the end."

"Don't worry about it," I comforted her, putting my hand on her shoulder.

"Awww… young love. Isn't that the most precious thing?" I could hear Harley's voice chuckle as he walked past with his Cacturne alongside him.

"Congratulations on your win," I said, hoping that would be enough for him to leave us alone.

"Oh, so you watched my match then?" he suddenly pipped up. "Cacturne and I didn't even have to break a sweat! I might as well have just left my gorgeous Ariados at home. Wanna see it?" Before I could answer with a straight 'No', he called for his spider Pokemon to appear. It took it's form right in front of Misty, which made her jump out of her skin.

"Yuck! Gross! Get it away! Get it away," she screamed in fear.

"What's wrong, hun?" Harley leaned over to approach Misty's face. "We're not afraid of a sweet little Bug Pokemon are we?" he scorned.

"I HATE BUGS!" Misty shrieked, cowering behind me. I wrapped my arm around her.

"Look Harley, it's no offense to you," I commenced saying, "but Misty doesn't have a good history with Bug Pokemon. Although that is a fine Ariados you have there."

"Hmph," he huffed. "At least someone has good taste. I suppose I'll let you two go. But you, sister," pointing at Misty, "need to get a grip. It's only a bug!" Without hesitation, he carried on walking. Misty seemed to have a tear in her eye, but I soon shushed her and calmed her down.

"Thanks for standing up for me just now… and against Paul too," she bowed gratefully.

"Don't thank me," I gleamed. "You just go and get some sleep, okay?"

"Okay," Misty concurred. She leaned over to me as gave me a small kiss on the side of the cheek. She took a little look at me and I stared at her back in a minute state of shock. She blushed slightly like she had before, before turning her back on me and walking back into her residence. I let out a confused sigh, staring at the door even after it had closed. Moments passed, until I ultimately knew that I had to get back to my own dorm. It was time for rest.

**TO BE CONTINUED**

Next Time: Misty begins the battle against Paul. Who will take the early advantage?


	4. Chapter 4

_DISCLAIMER:- I do not own Pokemon or any of their characters portrayed herein. I only own characters that have not been seen either in games or in the anime._

_MESSAGE TO READERS:- I know that I'm adding chapters to this like there's no tomorrow, but in honesty I've been working on this for a good couple of weeks now making sure that I have a plot outlined before I start. It's good technique to use with any story, as you can have the main idea of your story outlined and as you fill in the gaps, more ideas will come to you. Has happened to me many a time before. But to warn you all I probably won't be updating for a couple of days. Thank you to all who have reviewed thus far. And if you haven't already, feel free to provide input, congratulations or, if you feel strongly against it, criticism. So go and grab yourselves a lemonade, kick back and enjoy!!!_

_PS: For those of you who enjoy reading the battles, the next couple of chapters feature a good couple of matches, so you may well be interested in reading the next couple of chapters..._

**THE LEAGUE OF CHAMPIONS**

**CHAPTER 4: WATER BATTLE! MISTY VERSUS PAUL**

The stands were packed to the rafters with cheering fans, who all had come to witness the best Pokemon battles that the Kanto region could offer. I was quite fortunate to get a seat just two rows back from the battlefield. Accompanying me was the tan-skinned Brock, who I had met only the night before. He seemed rather quiet, but I could tell he was very much interested in seeing how his old friend Misty would battle. And so was I. Not to mention I would love to see Paul get what he deserves and get knocked out in this round. Both Misty and Paul had already taken their positions on the battlefield. Two podiums lifted them from the ground, as the battlefield suddenly began to open like a pair of sliding doors. From below, a large pool of water ascended into view, along with several platform-like structures swishing in the waves the movement of the field had created. I saw Misty's eyes light up when she saw the water.

"You're in trouble, Paul! This is a Water Field and this is where I specialise. So, let's get this over with!" Misty shouted, ready for combat. Paul did not look at all intimidated.

"Please, if you specialise in Water Pokemon, then I will use that to my advantage. You'll soon see," he smirked in a cocky manner. Both trainers stared each other down, although Paul look more calm and relaxed. Misty's body language displayed agitation and uneasiness.

"This will be a Three-On-Three Pokemon Battle taking place on the Water Field," the announcer's voice boomed over the PA system. "Please welcome our two competitors. First the cool, calm and collective trainer all the way from Sinnoh. Put your hands together for Paul!" The crowd started to go wild for Paul, which he did not play to nor encourage.

"I'm certainly not cheering for him," I scowled to myself.

"Me neither," Brock agreed, overhearing what I thought was silent speech. We both seemed to share the same hatred for Paul.

"And secondly, the sirene Cerulean goddess and Leader of the Cerulean City Gym, please welcome Misty!" The crowd roared even louder than they had for Paul. Upon hearing what the announcer had said, Paul was taken aback in an almost distinctive fashion.

"You're a Gym Leader?" he stammered. "How could a loser like you be strong enough to be a Gym Leader?"

"I'm about to show you," Misty smiled, knowing that she now she had a psychological grip hold on Paul. However, Paul simply closed his eyes once again.

"It doesn't matter," Paul simpered. "I guess nearly everyone has had to beat you to get here, so I might as well do the same on the big stage." Misty snarled, even louder and more ferociously than she had done before. Armed with her first Pokeball, Misty could feel the tension as she awaited the official to begin the match.

"Come on, Misty!" I called from the stands. "I know you can beat him. Just stay focused."

"He's right," Misty whispered to herself. "Time to beat this wannabe."

"Are you both ready?" The official asked the combatants. Both of them nodded, with a determined look on their faces. "Then let the match begin!" He shouted, raising both a green and a red flag simultaneously into the air.

"Go, Staryu!" Misty shouted, throwing her Pokeball towards the water. From it, the star-shaped Pokemon emerged, yelling like a karate fighter as it's form fully appeared. It landed on a white platform that was floating casually on the water. Paul took a good look at the opposing Pokemon, before making his selection.

"Weavile, let's go," Paul tossed his Pokeball into the air and with a flash of light, his Weavile appeared with a sly look on it's face. "Use Shadow Ball, Weavile," Paul ordered, pointing at the target. "Viiile," snarled the Dark Pokemon, firing a ball of dark energy directly at Staryu. The power contained in the blast created waves in the water as it was shot just inches above from it.

"Dodge it and use Swift!" Misty called to her beloved Staryu. With incredible speed, the starfish Pokemon began to rotate and took off into the air. The Shadow Ball exploded upon impact with the platform, as Misty's Staryu fires some shooting stars directly at Weavile. Although it tried to dodge, the Swift attack is unavoidable and strike's Weavile across it's torso. It manages to endure the attack just enough for it to stop falling into the water. "Follow up with Bubblebeam!" Staryu launched another long-ranged attack, this time in the form of several multi-coloured bubbles heading at high speed towards Paul's Weavile.

"Use Blizzard to stop that Bubblebeam and take that Staryu out of the air." Weavile seemed to chuckle as slyly as his trainer. After taking a quick, yet hard inhalation of air, Weavile exhaled a freezing cold Blizzard attack, which frozen the bubbles dead. However, the force of which the blizzard was blowing sent them hurtling back at Staryu, which it took the full brunt of not only Weavile's attack, but also it's own. Misty looked on in shock, as Staryu began to plummett from the air.

"Quickly, use Rapid Spin to deflect that frozen Bubblebeam and keep yourself airborne." Misty nervously smiled, having matched Paul's strategy with a brilliant recovery. Staryu began to spin fast and faster, smashing the remaining bubbles into small shards of ice, which softly fell to the waters' surface like snow. The crowd let out a large cheer for both Misty and Paul.

"Looks like they're both evenly matched," I heard Brock mumble. "Let's just hope Misty can keep the pace going."

"She will," I nodded back, but not turning to face him. The excitement in the arena was to intense for me to miss. Staryu was now using Rapid Spin to propel itself alpl above the fighting ground. Weavile looked a little confused trying to keep track of it, but Paul seemed unaffected by the situation.

"Weavile, use Blizzard again." Once again, the demonic weasel-like creature let loose another bombardment of icy snow at Staryu, but Staryu instinctively moved itself like a helicopter out of the way of the attack, too far in the air for the attack to reach. Weavile suddenly leapt up with a mighty bound, getting a lot closer to Staryu. The Blizzard attack was now in range and slowly, Staryu's rotation got slower and slower. Before finally, it was encased in a block of ice. Paul's Weavile used it's sharp claws to grip the ice as they fell down to the water below.

"Staryu, use Recover!" Misty yelled as they approached the water.

"Shadow Ball, NOW!" Paul ordered heartlessly. Weavile released it's grip on Staryu's icy tomb before launching another ball of negative energy. It rocketted toward Staryu, but the ice block that concealed Staryu splashed into the water just before the blast could hit. The Shadow Ball exploded on the water's surface. But the shockwaves were severe enough to crack Staryu from it's frozen prison. But the damage had already been done. Staryu floated to the surface, with it's red central core flashing, signalling that it had been defeated. Weavile landed on the platform just to the left of the fainted Staryu. The official raised his flag.

"Staryu is unable to battle, Weavile is victorious!" he shouted, confirming Staryu's elimination. Misty withdrew Staryu's Pokeball are called for it to return. A red beam of light enveloped it's body, before rushing back into the ball.

"You were great, Staryu. Thank you," she smiled, acknowledging Staryu's incredible effort. She prepared her next Pokemon, but Paul interrupted her before she could.

"You claim to be a great Water Pokemon trainer, yet you did not utilise the field at all." Paul sternly told his opponent. "You decided to attack aerially and that was your downfall."

"Don't lecture me," Misty growled. "I've still got two Pokemon left and that's more than enough to beat your Weavile and whatever else you decide to throw at me. So now I'll use Caserin! Go!"

"Huh?" I wondered to myself. "Caserin? I've never heard of that Pokemon before." As Misty threw her second Pokeball onto the field, a heart-shaped, vertically flat fish appeared and landed in the water. "Luvdisc," it shouted. "Oh, I see," I smiled in realisation. "Caserin is it's nickname." Even Paul seemed a little off guard from the name that Misty had called.

"OK… that Weavile is quite agile, so we need to be agile ourselves. So, Caserin. Use Rain Dance!" With that, the Luvdisc began swimming in a curved pattern, whilst rocking it's body. Dark clouds gathered in the sky, and the rain began to fall. Several umbrellas started to go up in the stands as the rain lashed down onto the ground below. Paul did not seem too amused at being drenched by Caserin's Rain Dance, but Misty loved the feeling of rain droplets hitting her skin. She stood and smiled, absorbing the rain's influence. "Now use Agility!" Luvdisc began to swim at Weavile at an incredible speed and began to swim around it in a super fast circle. "Now Whirlpool," Misty smiled. Her plan was coming together. The sheer speed at which Caserin was swimming created a whirlpool around the platform that Weavile was stood on. It began to lose it's balance.

"Weavile, get out of there!" Paul bellowed at his comrade. But it was no use. Weavile had fallen off it's feet and the force of the Whirlpool sucked both Weavile and the floating platform beneath the water. "How? How come that Luvdisc is so fast?" Paul asked himself.

"Simple," Misty called over, hearing what Paul had said. "My Caserin has a special ability called Swift Swim. It's speed doubles in the rain. And using Agility only makes it faster. Perfect for creating a powerful Whirlpool attack." Misty seemed rather boastful of herself, but Paul simply shook a little in frustration. Soon, the Whirlpool died down. The platform bobbed back up to the surface, with Paul's fainted Weavile looking dazed and tired on it. The official raises his opposing flag to the one he had waved just moments before.

"Paul's Weavile cannot continue this battle. The winner is Misty's Luvdisc!" he called. The crowd responded with surprised cheers.

"Wow!" I excitedly smiled to Brock. "I can't believe that a Luvdisc beat a Weavile!"

"That's the Pokemon League for you, Jonathyn." Brock also smiled. "Anything can happen. But Misty is not out of the woods yet. I know that Paul still has some strong Pokemon, some even stronger than that Weavile."

"No way!" I gasped, not believing that Paul had stronger allies. "That Weavile was really tough. If his next Pokemon are as tough as you think, Misty is in real trouble." I looked over at Misty, who had a very proud look on her face. But Paul's just showed frustration. He had ordered his Weavile to return, before reaching for his second Pokeball.

"Electabuzz, you're up!" he gleamed with a glint in his eye. A humanoid monster covered in jagged black and yellow stripes appeared on the field. Almost everyone in the crowd gasped. Even Misty looked in shock as sparks flew from the energetic Electric Pokemon.

"This is bad!" Brock shouted out for a majority of people to hear. "Electric attacks are super effective against Water Types. And that Rain Dance means that all of Electabuzz's electric attacks with hit with a hundred per cent accuracy."

"Misty's screwed!" I sighed, hanging my head. I really did hope that Misty would beat Paul. Even though she had one Pokemon left, it would still be sure to be a Water Type. "Her only hope is that the rain clears up soon, otherwise Luvdisc is gonna be fried!"

"Electabuzz, let's make this round short but sweet. Use Thunder on that Luvdisc," Paul grinned with a cold, sinister voice. "Ele-Ele-Electa," Electabuzz bellowed as it charged up for it's most powerful attack. A huge blast of electricity surged across the Water Field and hit Caserin full on! Caserin's eyes closed, as it wailed in agony. "Good, Electabuzz. Keep going!" he ordered. His Pokemon continued to pour it's stored electrical power into the attack, yet the Luvdisc still took the full brunt of the punishment. After several more moments of withstanding this punishment, Caserin finally fainted. The rain continued to fall heavily, striking the side of the heart shaped fish.

"Luvdisc is unable to battle, the winner is Paul's Electabuzz," the official declared. Misty sighed in exasparation and withdrew her defeated Luvdisc.

"Thanks Caserin, you did great." Misty smiled. However, her smile soon turned to anger as she looked over at a smug looking Paul.

"You don't even think your battle plan through. Did you for some reason think that I hadn't brought an Electric Pokemon with me when I knew we were battling on a Water Field?" Paul seemed to be picking away at Misty's weaknesses so severely that Misty herself had become agitated even more than she had done before. Her eyes had tightly closed, an enraged look had engulfed her entire face. She reached for her third and final Pokeball. This next Pokemon would have to be her best pick…

"I can't use my Gyarados, it would not be able to withstand much punishment from those Electrical attacks whilst the Rain Dance is still in effect," she murmured to herself. "Not even Corsola can stand that much electrical power. I need to think of a way to stop that electricity. And I've got just the Pokemon to do it." Misty's anger soon faded and she let out a small chuckle, having though of what seemed like the perfect plan. "It's all down to you. Go, Marshtomp!" she shouted, as the blue mudfish-like Pokemon appeared on one of the floating platforms. With a smile, it shouted out "Marshtomp!" Paul took a good look at Misty's choice and frowned a little, staring a hole through Misty. She looked back with equal determination.

"I see… she did decide to use my Marshtomp after all," Brock grinned.

"What?" I exclaimed. "That Marshtomp is yours?"

"It used to be. I left it back at the Pewter Gym with my brothers and sisters just before heading to Sinnoh. But I figured as it is a Water Pokemon, Misty may have had more use for it than what I could. And Marshtomp does seem pretty happy with her."

"Not to mention that Marshtomp is a part Ground type, meaning Electabuzz's electric attacks are useless," I added, happy to see that Paul's strategy had somewhat crumbled. I looked back out to the battlefield and I could see that both trainers were both taking each other to the limit. And even though Paul had taken the lead, Misty's choice of using Marshtomp was perfect, especially in the circumstances.

"Marshtomp versus. Electabuzz," the official called. "Begin!"

**TO BE CONTINUED**

_**Next Time:** Using Brock's Marshtomp, can Misty defeat Paul's Electabuzz? And if she can, what Pokemon will Paul use next? Also, Jonathyn comes face to face with his next opponent, Casey!_


	5. Chapter 5

_DISCLAIMER:- I do not own Pokemon or any of their characters portrayed herein. I only own characters that have not been seen either in games or in the anime_

_MESSAGE TO READERS:- Still reading this, huh? Well, I cannot say that it makes me displeased. I've been working on a couple more chapters as well, just trying to iron out a few creases in the plot before I go manic on posting chapters. This chapter will essentially wrap up Misty Vs. Paul and then we can get on with some actual plot development rather than just battles. Thank you to all who have currently reviewed. I've taken some advice and will incorporate more of a storyline in the next couple of chapters, before we finally get to Jonathyn's next match. So, grab yourself a lemonade, kick back and enjoy!!!_

**THE LEAGUE OF CHAMPIONS**

**CHAPTER 5: MARSHTOMP FIGHTS BACK! GO, MISTY, GO!**

I stared onto the battlefield. This was Misty's last chance to pull off a huge victory over Paul. Even though Paul's Electabuzz had the upper hand against her last Pokemon, Marshtomp was the perfect Pokemon to stop it in it's tracks. I could sense Paul's frustration. His strategy had now turned against him. After all, any respectful Pokemon Trainer knows that Ground Types are completely immune to electric attacks. Paul's frown had now turned into what reminded me of a growling Poochyena. His teeth were clenched together, his fist almost shaking in rage. However, Misty seemed to have regained her composure ever since she had placed Marshtomp on the field. Brock watched with even more interest than me, considering the mud-fish Pokemon used to belong to him. And I could tell just by looking at it that he had trained it incredibly well.

"Electabuzz," Paul frowned, almost acting in complete confusion. "Use Thunder on Marshtomp." Being that the Rain Dance that Misty's Luvdisc had performed in the previous part of the bout, the Electric Pokemon's attack struck Marshtomp with one hundred per cent accuracy. However, Marshtomp's body simply sent the electric attack rebounding off it into the water. Misty grinned at this.

"That's not going to work this time," Misty chuckled. "Use Mud Shot!" she yelled passionately. Marshtomp took a deep breath, before spitting out a barrage of large lumps of mud straight at Electabuzz. They flew through the air like bullets.

"Dodge it!" Paul begged, but it was no use. Stood on a platform with almost nowhere to go, the Mud Shot collided viciously with the face of Paul's Electabuzz. It was hurled backwards into the water. "Electabuzz, use Quick Attack," Paul ordered. With a sudden burst of energy, using it's legs to propel itself through the water, Electabuzz darted through the water and approached Marshtomp at a high speed. "Just keep on going…" Paul murmered.

"Swim away from it," Misty shouted, as Marshtomp immediately obeyed, jetting away from Electabuzz, but somehow Electabuzz appeared right in front of it.

"STOP!" Paul called. In an instant, Electabuzz stopped just inches away from Marshtomp. "Brick Break," Paul called again. Electabuzz raised it's hand, before swiping hard at Marshtomp…

"Protect!" Misty shouted, as a blue aura suddenly engulfed Marshtomp just as Electabuzz's Brick Break hit. Electabuzz continued to try and force the attack through Marshtomp's barrier, but it was no use. Electabuzz rose to the surface for air, leaping out of the water and scrambling back onto one of the platforms. Marshtomp remained in the water for the time being. By now, the Rain Dance's effect on the weather had worn off. Now the sun was shining brightly. Electabuzz looked completely exhausted, whereas Marshtomp still seemed to be in a fairly reasonable state. "Now, Mud Shot!" Misty shouted, repeating the earlier attack. Marshtomp launched another array of muddy lumps at Electabuzz.

"Use Quick Attack to dodge it," Paul suddenly grinned, changing his tone of voice. With a burst of speed, Electabuzz leapt away from the platform onto another one that had now floated a little closer than before. "Get behind it and use Thunder Punch!" he ordered. Electabuzz did indeed manage to get behind Marshtomp, who was still firing it's Mud Shot. The punch connected, knocking Marshtomp's head sideways. The Mud Shot had ended, but Marshtomp was ready to retaliate.

"Close range attacks will do you no good either. Use Mud Shot!" Misty called once more. From point blank range, Marshtomp fired. The attack sent Electabuzz flying back, crashing into the podium on which his trainer was stood. "And that's the end of that!" Misty smiled uncontrollably. Electabuzz had a dazed look in it's eyes.

"Electabuzz is unable to battle. Marshtomp wins!" the match official declared. The crowd roared, as did I.

"Way to go, Misty!" I shouted in delight.

"Hold on…" Brock murmered in a rather concerned voice.

"What's the matter?" I asked, now concerned just because Brock sounded concerned.

"Electabuzz's Thunder Punch may not be effective against a Ground Type," Brock frowned. "But it still has an ability called Static. That means that any time that a Pokemon comes into physical contact with it, there is a chance that it might become paralysed by it."

"But how? Marshtomp is a Ground Type…" I argued.

"It's also a Water type. Perhaps the two types just cancelled each other out," he replied. "You see the sparks coming from Marshtomp?" I looked over, noticing a small spark of static electricity fly from Marshtomp. I simply nodded to Brock. "That's the usual sign that Static has affected it," he confirmed. Misty had also noticed this and the look on her face showed that of uneasiness. Marshtomp looked as though it was also struggling. It had no climbed out of the water and was resting on one of the buoyant platforms. By now, Paul had returned Electabuzz to it's Poke Ball, seemingly cursing it to some extent. Paul now appeared to be in deep thought. He only had seconds to spare, when he finally reached for his third and final Pokemon…

"It's a long shot… but it's the best chance that I have," he whispered to himself. "I select Torterra!" he shouted, as a giant, bulky ankylosaur-like monster with a tree growing out of it's back. "Tor-Tor!" it boomed with a deep voice. The creature was so large, that it barely managed to fit on one of the floating platforms. The platform seemed to sink significantly under the weight of the giant Pokemon. Misty suddenly began to laugh. "What are you laughing about now?" Paul sneered.

"Do you really think you can win with a giant Pokemon like that?" she asked provocatively. "It can't even move! As soon as I knock it into the water, it'll all be over."

"You fail to see the advantage that I truly have here," Paul smirked. "Not only do I now have a dual type advantage against you, but your Marshtomp has been paralysed by Electabuzz. So let's see you try and dodge this. Torterra, Leaf Storm!" he pointed a Marshtomp. Torterra's tree on it's back started to glow a lime green, before a sudden blast of natural power was shot straight at Marshtomp.

"Get out of the way!" Misty screamed in horror, as the powerful attack approached Marshtomp. With a huge amount of effort, Marshtomp was able to roll over and drop helplessly into the water. The Leaf Storm flew past where Marshtomp was sat and slammed into the podium on which Misty was stood. The resulting explosion knocked Misty off her stand and crashing to the ground below. Some members of the crowd gasped, as Misty lay motionless.

"Misty! No!" Brock yelled in shock. I pushed my way through the crowd and ran down to Misty's side. Several officials had gathered around her, but I had shoved them out of the way as well. I picked her up by the back of her head.

"Misty, can you hear me?" I whimpered. She did not say a word. "Misty?" I asked again, waiting desperately for an answer. But nothing happened. I felt a tear drop forming in the corner of my eye, but I quickly wiped it away. A shadow loomed over me, where I saw a Meganium smiling above me. I gave it a confused look.

"Use Aromatherapy," I heard a female voice say to her Pokemon. With that, pulses of energy began to flow through the air. I could feel it travel down my arms and into Misty. The Meganium continued to smile, as though uplifting everyone's mood about the whole situation. I heard a weak grunt, my eyes quickly turned back to Misty, who was now twitching a little. Her eyes slowly opened.

"Huh? What?" she burbled. "What happened?"

"That Leaf Storm knocked you out," the Meganium's owner quickly replied. "But Meganium here healed you." Misty looked up at the young girl. She was wearing rather a short pair of leg shorts, whilst sporting a baseball cap as well as a yellow and black striped baseball shirt. It reminded me of the Electabuzz Baseball Team colours. "Having trouble putting a name to my face?" she giggled as Misty's still bewildered and semi-conscious expression showed signs of improvement.

"Thank you, Casey," Misty smiled. My eyes suddenly widened… Casey. This girl was Casey. Could this be my next opponent? This kind and caring girl would be the next person that I would have to beat? Groggily, Misty got up to her feet, although I still couldn't take my eyes off of my foe. "Sorry I can't catch up at the moment. I've got a battle to win," Misty smiled. All three of us looked over towards Paul, who was slightly obscured from view by his Torterra. He showed no sign of concern. His heartless attitude made my blood boil. Paul simply waited, not even acknowledging that he had almost caused a serious injury. Misty's Marshtomp had now managed to climb out of the water and back onto one of the platforms, but it looked like it's stamina had been reduced to almost nothing thanks to it's paralysis. As Misty re-ascended the podium, we returned to our seats. Casey was sat quite literally right in front of me. I couldn't believe all that time my next combatant was just inches away from me! The official moved a little closer to Misty, talking compassionately.

"Are you going to be alright to continue?" he asked politely, yet somewhat sternly. Misty nodded, although still a little weak. Her eyes were fixated on the battlefield. "Then let the battle continue!" he shouted.

"Marshtomp, Dive!" Misty shouted. Marshtomp dropped back into the water and swam as fast as it could, despite it's poor condition, towards Torterra.

"Use Giga Drain," Paul ordered. A torrent of green light wafted into the water and headed straight for Marshtomp, Marshtomp quickly dodged it on it's own, before leaping out of the water and slamming into Torterra. The platform on which Torterra was stood rocked a little, but in some way it still managed to maintain a standing base without toppling into the water. Marshtomp landed back in the water with a splash.

"Get underneath the platform that Torterra is on, then use Muddy Water," Misty shouted. Marshtomp, looking rather tired was able to launch the Muddy Water attack. The azure blue water of the battlefield now turned into a murky brown. Marshtomp had camouflaged itself in the water. At the same time, waves rocked the pontoon yet again. Torterra slipped and slid a little, but alas it still managed to hang on without falling into the gloomy depths.

"Not bad," Paul seemed to appreciate Misty's tactics a little more than usual. "Torterra, hit it with Giga Drain." Another gleaming green light raced into the water and suddenly turned red. Marshtomp flew out of the water, groaning in pain. Finally, it drops back down onto one of the platforms. It looks completely drained, but it's will to win keeps it's fighting spirit still burning. Misty looks on in disbelief. She knows now that she is in trouble. "Come on," Paul grinned once again. "It was obvious that your Marshtomp was still hiding under my Torterra." Misty sighed. He was right. But she shook away the negative thoughts and contemplated another plan.

"All right," she huffed. "This is it. Marshtomp, aim a Mud Shot at the pontoon that Torterra is stood on!" she pointed with a flurry of adrenaline. But Marshtomp could barely move. Slowly, it prepared the attack…

"Use Giga Drain again!" Paul called. Torterra launched it's attack pretty much straight away, but Marshtomp once again dodged by dropping into the water, before firing another shower of mud at the pontoon. It rocked and then tilted well over sixty degrees. With a huge splash, Torterra fell into the murky water. Marshtomp fell in as well near to the position where it had fired the Mud Shot.

"Yes! There's no way that your Torterra can survive now!" Misty squealed, delighted that now she had the upper hand.

"Think again," Paul grinned. Misty suddenly froze. "Frenzy Plant!" he called into the marshy water. All of a sudden, several giant, spiky roots emerged from the water. Marshtomp was flung from the water. Using some of the other plants, Torterra lifted itself from the water. Drops of mud and water fell from the vegetation on it's back. The roots continued to slam Marshtomp relentlessly. "End it!" he shouted. With one more mighty swing, the roots sandwiched Marshtomp between them. The mud fish Pokemon dropped lifelessly into the water, before floating back up to the surface almost unconscious. It lay motionless in the water.

"Marshtomp can no longer battle. The winner of this match is Paul!" the official confirmed. The crowd roared, yet I felt something inside me sink. I didn't want Paul to win, but for Misty to come so close and then lose the way she did almost made me want to cry with rage. But I held it back. Misty called back her Marshtomp, as did Paul with his Torterra. He turned his back on Misty…

"Good effort," he congratulated, half-heartedly. "But you'll have to do much better than that next time," he grinned to himself, before walking away into the darkness of the tunnel. Misty stared at Marshtomp's Poke Ball, completely ignoring what Paul had to say to her.

"You did great, Marshtomp. Thank you," she gratefully confided within her Pokemon. With a dejected look, she too descended the podium and headed into the tunnel. I got out of my seat quickly and headed down toward her. Brock followed me with the same intention as I. I also noticed that Casey had decided to follow me as well. Something that I did not really approve of, but would tolerate for now. We soon reached the tunnel, pushing our way past several people who simply wanted to get a soda or something to get there. Misty had slumped against the wall half-way down and was on the brink of bursting into tears.

"Hey, Misty." I smiled, trying to be as warm and comforting as possible. "You did great out there. That was a great match." Brock and Casey bobbed their heads in agreement.

"What does it matter?" Misty sobbed. "He really is a better trainer. I feel as though I've lost all my pride as a Gym Leader."

"Relax," Brock smiled. "Defeat doesn't make you a bad trainer. Look at it this way, you took him to the limit. He could have lost that battle at any minute. At the end of the battle, he was the winner. But that doesn't mean he's the better trainer."

"Brock," Misty sighed. "I appreciate what you're trying to say, I really do. But I don't want to hear it. I just want to be left alone for a while." She slunk away down the rest of the tunnel until she was gone from view. Casey and Brock looked at each other and shrugged a little.

"She must be taking it pretty hard," Casey said as she shook her head. "I'll catch up with her later. I'm going to go and train with my Pokemon for the next round."

"Really?" I grinned slyly, coming up with an idea. "Do you know who you're facing?"

"Don't try and throw a fast ball on me," her tone of voice suddenly changed. "I know that you're my opponent in the next round." I was quite taken aback by this sudden outburst. As was Brock.

"Fine," I snorted. "Do what you like. I've got some business to take care of. What are you going to do, Brock?"

"I'm going on the pull!" Brock quipped instantly. "Did you see some of the chicks in the stands? They were stunning! I'm going to try my luck."

"You don't change, do you?" Casey chuckles.

"Good luck with that," I too let out a small laugh, visualising the events of yesterday when that Croagunk appeared and Poison Jabbed it's trainer in the gut before dragging him away after flirting with that waitress. "I'd better go," I turned around quickly, walking at a fast pace down the tunnel.

"We'll catch up later," Brock called to me, although I ignored. My walk had now turned into a run… I was determined to catch up with Misty.

**TO BE CONTINUED**

_**Next Time:**_ _A Lot…_

_Harley comes between Jonathyn and Misty yet again. Two of Jonathyn's Pokemon don't seem to get along very well. And when Misty and Jonathyn finally do get a moment to themselves, they are disturbed once again by… a Beedrill Massacre!?!?!?_


	6. Chapter 6

_DISCLAIMER:- I do not own Pokemon or any of their characters portrayed herein. I only own characters that have not been seen either in games or in the anime._

_MESSAGE TO READERS:- More battles coming up in this chapter, as well as a small sub-plot as well. Definite Shipping going on this chapter too, so I suggest that anyone offended by this genre of stories reads something a little less lovey-dovey. How about a Sailor Moon arc or something? But for the rest of you, you'll like it, I hope.Other than that, grab a lemonade or something, kick back and enjoy!!!_

**THE LEAGUE OF CHAMPIONS**

**CHAPTER 6: RIVALRY BETWEEN ALLIES! DON'T BE SAD, MISTY!**

I looked back and forth several times, trying to figure out which way Misty had slunk off to. I had managed to follow her as far as the Trainer Village, but then she became obscured from view by the crowds of Trainers. I had tried knocking on her door, but there was no answer. Not even a "go-away," as I had envisioned. Still, I continued looking for her. I had seen someone on the television use their flying type Pokemon to help search for something that was missing, but if I said to my Flying Pokemon "Find Misty," it wouldn't even know what Misty looked like. So that would be no good. After a good twenty minutes or more of searching, I shrugged to myself and kept on walking beyond the Trainer Village into the woodland area. I wanted some time to think for myself about a few things as well, so perhaps it was better off that I didn't have Misty around me at this moment in time. I walked further and further into the vegetation, not knowing where my legs were taking me. My eyes also failed to help me. I had closed them, allowing my mind to fill with vivid images. Paul… that arrogant, egotistic punk. He could have seriously hurt Misty earlier and didn't even make an attempt to help. But that was not the only thing. Casey… that girl… all I knew about her was that she was an Electabuzz Fan, an old friend of Brock and Misty and that she owned a Meganium. I would need to think of a battle strategy. And even with that knowledge, she might not use Meganium in the match. It really started to get to me… My mind seemed to wander a little bit, before…

**CLONK!!!**

I opened my eyes, holding my head in pain. I made a mental note to myself. Don't walk around with your eyes closed in the middle of a wooded area. Otherwise, you might just walk into a tree, like I just had done. I apologised to a Caterpie, which had fallen off its branch due to the force of which I hit the old oak, allowing it to crawl up my arm and then climb back onto the tree. I carried on walking, this time making sure that I kept my eyes open.

"You might want to watch where you're going," I heard a voice mumble behind me. I turned around, expecting to see Misty's face. But mine fell when I saw the lunatic Harley walking towards me, wiggling his hips with every step with both hands placed firmly on them. He only raised one of them to blow me a kiss, which made me fell as though I was about to be physically sick. "Hiya, hun!" he cooed. "I guess you're out here looking for a good spot to train, right?" I grinned a little bit.

"It's not a bad idea," I rubbed the underside of my chin, thinking whether or not to utilise the time I had to do a bit of training. "I guess you've been out here for most of the day, have you?"

"What? And miss your girlfriend getting creamed in the second round? HA! Don't think so," he gurned, wagging his finger right in front of my face.

"She's not my girlfriend," I began. "And I thought she did quite well, considering the disadvantages she had in the match when it came down to type difference."

"Stop kidding yourself, you dumpling," he chortled. "You're in denial. She didn't stand a chance against that purple haired plum. Why, she said to me just now that she was a total flop in that match."

"You've seen her!?" I suddenly cut in. "Where? Where is she?"

"Now, why should I tell a little tyke like you, eh?" he held his hand out in front of front of me as if to stop me from going anywhere.

"Don't toy with me, Harley," I snarled. "Tell me where Misty is."

"Fine," he snuffled. "If you want to see your girlfriend THAT badly, she's down by the stream over there," he pointed toward an opening in the trees. "But don't forget about the Beedrill around here. They get a little bit frisky when someone gets too close." I looked toward the opening, then back to Harley with little trust. But since I didn't have much else of a clue…

"Thank you," I bowed, gratefully in a sense that it was because I was finding Misty, not because it was Harley that told me. I once again made a brisk exit, running through the break in the trees. Sure enough, the trees lead into an open area. The sun at last shone down fully to the ground, no longer being cut off from the ground by the tree tops. And just as Harley had said, there was also a stream full of water gushing along the countryside. A little further downstream, I could see a figure sat by the stream's edge, throwing stones into the water. As I approached, I could tell it was Misty. I walked as calmly as I could in order not to put off the already upset Misty. As I approached, I saw her glance at me slightly, before turning away, resuming tossing small pebbles into the stream. A Magikarp leapt out of the water, flopped around in the air a little, before feebly dropping back into the water once again. I took a seat on the wet grass next to Misty. "Hey," I comforting smiled. "You know, the only thing that was going through my mind was 'Win. Let Paul eat his words." Misty looked at me, before throwing another stone across the stream. "But now, I think it's for the best." She looked over to me, with a puzzled look.

"How is it for the best?" she questioned.

"Think of it like this," I continued. "You may not have beaten Paul, but after all the back talk and the taunting that he's been giving not just to you, but me as well, it would be a privilege to beat him myself." I cracked a wicked smile, not one of evil intention but of somewhat selfish desire. Misty didn't seem too enthusiastic, though.

"It wasn't about beating Paul," she muttered. "It was about my ability as a Pokemon Trainer. Sure, rubbing his face in it would have been an added bonus for me. But I lost. Pure and simple."

"Why be so down about it?" I smiled, kindly. "You win some, you lose some. And the battle was intense, was it not?" Misty paused before answer.

"One of the most intense battles of my life."

"Well then, there you go," I grinned. "You gave it your best and the although the outcome isn't what you wanted, the actual match itself tested your abilities. And you still put on a great show. And if you've done your best, then isn't that worth something?"

"You're right," she conceded. "I never thought about it that way." She beamed at me, having found happiness once again. "Thanks, Jonathyn. I'm glad you came…"

"How precious," came a familiar voice. Misty and I quickly got to our feet, as Harley walked towards up, shaking his hips with every step once again. "It's so wonderful to see that the young couple is so happy now that everything's worked out."

**"She's NOT my girlfriend!"**

**"He's NOT my boyfriend!"**

We both responded simultaneously. Harley simply smirked to himself.

"Come on, give it up," he mocked. "We're all adults here. So why don't you get on one knee. Surely you have a ring somewhere… I hope you do," he chuckled.

"Listen, you sicko," I roared, frustrated with Harley's constant abuse. "I came here for one reason and one reason only. That was to make Misty feel better about her match. The last thing she needs is you gallivanting around us…I mean her." Harley tried to hold back laughter. "You can laugh all you want. It changes nothing."

"Well then," Harley then sneered slyly. "Perhaps I will just have to get you to admit your undying emotions using other methods," he chuckled, pulling two Poke balls from his belt. My eyes widened.

"If you insist," I grinned back, ready to grab mine as well. Misty reached for one of her Poke Balls as well. "Don't worry," I stopped her. "I've got this one covered." With that, she obliged and stepped back, giving a look to Harley that was as stern as mine.

"It's good to see you're so willing to be beaten. I guess your girlfriend can't stand losing twice in one day." Misty seemed about ready to clock this clown, but I rested by hand on her upper chest, stopping her from getting too carried away. With a huff, she calmed down. "I guess I'll have Banette and Octillery teach you a lesson!" he called, hurling the two Pokeballs into the air. From the first emerged an octopus-like creature with a head that resembled the turret of a tank. From the second came a sinister looking ghost with a mouth that looked like it could be zipped up. I reached for the two Pokemon that I wanted him to face.

"I'll go with Gabite and Lairon! Go!" I bawled, throwing the balls containing my Pokemon into battle. My trusted companion Gabite, which had helped me defeat the unorthodox Rhyhorn in the first round appeared looking refreshed and ready for battle. From the other emerged a Pokemon not dissimilar in appearance to a Rhyhorn, but with a metallic hide and no horn protruding from it. Gabite and Lairon both took a look at each other and began snarling. It was as though they wanted to battle each other. "Stop it, guys! You're fighting those two. The Octillery and the Banette." My words seemed to fall on deaf ears. I knew that my Gabite and Lairon had some sort of rivalry, but I thought that in the amount of time they had spent training together, they would have buried the hatchet. I could just see Harley, laughing himself silly rolling around on the floor.

"What's the matter, hun?" he giggled squeamishly. "Have your two darlings there had a bit of a tiff? Don't worry, I'll make them forget all about it." He got back up to his feet, brushing some dust off him, before reverting his voice into that sly, cunning tone we all know. "Banette, use Will O Wisp on the Lairon, darling!" The ghost began laughing maniacally, before surrounding itself with a ring of blue flames, before launching the attack in the direction of my Lairon.

"Dodge it and use Shockwave on Octillery!" I shouted, thinking on my feet. "Gabite, use Crunch on Banette!" Instantaneously, my two comrades charged at their opponents. Lairon fired a large spark of blue electricity at Octillery, which struck it hard without fail, as Gabite clenched Banette between it's powerful jaws. Harley squealed in horror, as the two super effective attacks hit their marks. Octillery and Banette quickly dodged backwards towards their squirming trainer. "Hmm…" I hummed with a small hint of laughter. "Looks like I've got you on the ropes already."

"I wouldn't be so sure, cutie-pie," Harley taunted. "Banette… Torment those two rapscallions!" Banette then sprung into action, pulling faces around Lairon and Gabite. I could see that they were both getting more and more agitated. "Octazooka on Lairon!" Harley grinned, as his Octillery launched a projectile of ink straight at Lairon. It connected with deadly accuracy. "Who's got who pinned down, hun?" he mocked, as he fed off my frustration.

"Crunch, Gabite!" I ordered once again. "Lairon, use Shock Wave one more time." I waited and waited, but they didn't even move. "What's going on?" I shouted, getting more and more wound up by Harley's shenanigans.

"Banette used Torment on your Pokemon," Misty called over to me. "Torment stops a Pokemon from using the same move over and over, so you can't use Crunch or Shock Wave twice in a row." Upon hearing that, I frowned a little.

"No matter, I've got more moves than that. Gabite, use Dragon Claw on Banette!" I instructed to my bipedal shark-like Dragon Pokemon. It's claws gleamed a pale green, but just as it was about to strike…

"Dodge and use Will O Wisp," Harley commanded. The plush-doll like Ghost levitated into the air and spun itself behind Gabite, before firing another round of blue flaming orbs at Gabite. This time, the attack hit. I could tell that Gabite could feel the burn by the disgruntled snarls it was producing. Harley seemed impressed not only with his Pokemon, but also with himself. "Octillery, Octazooka on Lairon, one last time." The octopus bounded forward using it's tentacles and shot a second missile at Lairon. It did not even move. The super effective attack had left it vulnerable. I was in trouble. Both of my Pokemon were in deep trouble. "My buddies are simply overwhelmingly better than your silly little toddlers, there," Harley smiled, overenthusiastically. But he was proving a point. Lairon was helpless…

"Use Metal Burst!" I ordered. With that, Lairon surged forward with it's eyes squinting. It hurled itself at Octillery, sending it flying backward. It collided with my Gabite, which was still suffering from Banette's Will O Wisp. Gabite got back up to it's feet and ran straight towards Lairon. It stopped and began hollering at his partner. Lairon argued back in a language that I could not understand. Harley looked on, whilst tending to his Octillery, which seemed to have taken a lot more damage than I first thought. Lairon and Gabite had begun to get right in each other's faces, Misty had a look on her face as if to say "this could get ugly." Although to a degree I thought the same, I thought it would be best as their trainer to sort it out. "Listen, you two," I shouted as I ran over to them, getting in between them. "I know you two aren't very fond of each other. But Gabite, that was just an accident. Lairon was defending itself from Octillery. It didn't mean to nail you in the head with it."

"Gab-Gabite," the dragon began. "Gab-Gaba-Gab. Gabite-Bite-Gabite."

"Ron, Lair-Lairon," the Steel Pokemon retorted. "Lairon Lairon Lair. Lairon-Ron."

"Look, I don't know why you don't get along but it's not going to help us if you're rivalry interferes with the league. We could lose it all." Gabite and Lairon hung their heads in sympathy. "All right. Let's get you both back in your Poke Balls. You both need to rest." With that, I withdrew my Pokemon from view and back into their Poke Balls. Harley was rolling on the floor again. Banette and Octillery were seemingly imitating him.

"Awww… their relationship is almost as troubled as you and your girlfriend's is," he chuckled. Misty stomped up to him.

"He's NOT my boyfriend," she bellowed. "And anyway, what do you know about love?"

"I know all about it, sugar," Harley winked. "But as a top Pokemon Trainer and Coordinator, I don't have time for a special someone in my life. My Pokemon are the only things I need to keep my heart pumping. The love of Pokemon is so sweet and rich," he seemed to sing a little, whilst spinning his Banette with a pirouette. A sweatdrop appeared on Misty's head. "They're so wonderful, I don't know how I'd survive without them. But where there is love… there's also HATE!" Harley suddenly sounded a lot more sinister. "And I hate all those who disrespect me and my Pokemon. Now, seeing as my Pokemon are still standing, I guess that makes me the winner of this little battle."

"What!?" I snapped. "How did you win?"

"For starters, your Lairon was almost down and out until you used that Metal Burst. And even after that your own two Pokemon started on each other and then to top it off, hun, you removed them from the match before it was officially over. So therefore, I win." I could not help but sigh. There was nothing I could do about it now, though. He was correct. And through no fault of battle technique, but due to the simple reason that my Gabite and Lairon could not co-exist. At least that's the impression that had been left on me after that incident. Although I could not just blame them. In fairness, if I had trained them better, then perhaps they would at least have some form of respect for each other. I began walking off into the woods. "Come on, Misty," I muttered to her as I walked past.

"That's right, walk away!" Harley taunted once again. "Hang your head in shame and walk away!" Even though I tried my best to block his irritating voice from my mind, it was no use. He had gotten under my skin. And to some extent, I think that it may have been his whole ploy all along. Misty followed me, although she kept looking back at Harley. I too took a slight glance, only to see that he was pretending to wipe tears from his eyes, before waving us goodbye sarcastically and as flamboyantly as ever. Fortunately for us, we were soon out of earshot of the bizarre male. I let out a long and weary sigh, before looking back at Misty.

"Guess you know how I feel now, huh?" she whispered. I complied with a small nod of my head. "But I appreciate you standing up for me back there," she bowed. "Not only against Harley, but being there for me during the match too." I huffed a little, hoping it was quiet enough for her not to hear. The image lingered in my head. The Leaf Storm, the fall, the broken expression on Misty's face. The look of disconcern that Paul showed right after the accident. I clenched my fist as tight as I could. Then even more images came into my head…Harley…Casey…then Paul again… these three… they were all powerful trainers, although I hadn't seen much of what Casey could do. But that Meganium of hers sure did look healthy and strong. It was as though I was going paranoid. I then looked back down at Misty, who was gazing at me for some reason. All my negative feelings, my fears and my grief seemed to melt away into nothing. Just looking at her made me feel so much better about myself… "You feeling ok?" she asked softly, a lot calmer now that we had escaped from Harley.

"I'm fine," I replied, smiling a little. I took a moment to absorb the surroundings. We must have walked a lot further than we originally thought. We had arrived at a small lake. The water was clear blue and the skies above were equally so. There wasn't a cloud in the sky. Misty seemed to be absorbing the atmosphere really well. I knew she liked the water. She always had done. "You want to sit down?" I asked, the solitude being just what I needed right around now.

"Sounds fun," she smiled. We both found a tree that provided enough shade from the sun, but also not too far from the water. "I'm going to let my Pokemon have some fun while we're here. Is that all right with you?" she asked.

"Why would it bother me?" I replied. "Go ahead." She smiled, before throwing all six of her Poke Balls into the air. The first appeared and splashed in the water. It was Caserin, Misty's Luvdisc. The second was Marshtomp and the third was her Staryu. From the fourth, the colossal figure of a surprisingly calm Gyarados slid into the water. The coral-like Corsola appeared from the fifth Poke Ball, before finally a Psyduck appeared on the land, apparently not too fond of going into the water. "Wow," I stammered a little. "I knew you liked Water Types, but that's a fine selection you have there."

"Do you have any Water Pokemon?" she asked. I knew that if I didn't, she wouldn't be best pleased. Fortunately, I had recently obtained myself such a thing. I smiled at Misty, reaching for the Pokemon that I would hope to amaze her with. I flung it randomly skyward, when my Water Pokemon literally flew out of it. With a mighty flap of its wings, it came down to rest just in front of me. "Hey, that's a nice looking Pelipper you've got there."

"Thanks," I grinned, looking over to the blue and white pelican-shaped Pokemon. "How about you relax with Misty's Pokemon, huh?"

"Pelipper!" it called happily, as Misty's Psyduck strolled up to it, holding it's head. It tilted it slightly as it stared bluntly at my Pelipper.

"Psy--" it quacked, starting a conversation of sorts with Pelipper. Pelipper seemed more than willing to have some fun with Misty's Pokemon.

"Are you not going to let your other Pokemon out?" she asked.

"You really think Lairon and Gabite would have fun together?" I replied. Misty lowered her head a little and smiled.

"Yeah, I see your point," she said, curling herself up against the tree. "What about your other Pokemon?"

"Well… Houndoom's not exactly the best to be around Water Pokemon, being a Fire Type and all. And I still need to withdraw my other Pokemon when we get back to the Indigo Plateau. I can transfer my Pokemon using one of the PCs that they have there."

"That's alright then," she wriggled closer to me, staring out towards the water. She rested her head on my arm. Without realising, I had lifted it up and draped it behind her back. Her head was now resting on my torso. I was feeling incredibly relaxed. I too looked out over the lake. All the Water Pokemon were playing, I was surprised to even see the usually ill-tempered Gyarados was having a whale of a time with the smaller Pokemon. I could see the Psyduck walking back and forth, still holding it's head, with my Pelipper flapping after it. "Hey, look," she lifted her head. "The sun's setting." I did not even notice this at first, until I looked up into the sky and witnessed something beautiful. The sky had turned into a collage of purple, pink and dark blue. The clouds in the sky reflected the magnificent colours, flowing throughout the sky like ribbons. The sun itself had now turned a darker shade of orange. Slowly, it was descending behind the trees on the other side of the lake. Even the Pokemon stopped playing to watch in awe. "Isn't it pretty, Jonathyn?" she whispered.

"It sure is," I replied almost silently, now staring down at Misty, who was still looking into the sky. I also turned, as a flock of Swablu passed above us, following an Altaria. It was the perfect picture.

"This is so nice," Misty yawned, burying her head deeper into my chest, now placing her hand on my hip. "I could stay like this forever." I became a little nervous.

"Stay like what?" I replied, mentally hitting myself for coming up with such a stupid remark. It was blatantly obvious that I too could just sit here with Misty for a long time. But luckily, she simply replied with a giggle before looking up at me. She began to blush a little bit, turning away and staring back out towards the water, which was now reflecting the sunset. "What's up?" I asked, fidgeting to get myself a little more closer to Misty. She simply smiled.

"It's nothing," she tittered. "It's just nice being here with you…" I was a little taken aback by this. She looked up at me and was now blushing even harder. "No… sorry, what I meant was there's no Harley, no Paul, no-one to bother us." I too started to blush. "You know what I mean," she sighed. I couldn't help but laugh in trepidation. She mimicked. She then stopped and gazed at me like she had done before. She sweetly smiled at me. I tried my best to smile back, but it seemed impossible. I slowly got up to my feet and offered my hand to pick her up. "Where are you going?" she asked with a sad look on her face. She took hold of my hand, but I didn't pull her up. I had to take a moment to absorb the situation fully. But before I could, the ground shook.

"What the heck was that?" I stammered, looking around. "An earthquake?"

"I don't know," Misty responded, getting up to her feet. "But the Pokemon don't like it." I turned to see that all of Misty's Pokemon as well as my Pelipper were staring into the woods. "We'd better check that out," she called.

"Right," I nodded in agreement. Misty called for her Pokemon to return. "Pelipper, return," I called, as a red beam of light shot from it's Pokeball. It's figure turned into a red opaque shadow, before is dissolved back into the sphere in which it resides. Just as I had done so, the ground shook again. This time, a cloud of billowing smoke rose up into the sky not far from where we were. "Let's go!" I called to Misty, running towards the location of where the loud noise had come from. Misty soon caught up with me. Soon enough, after just a minute or so of running we found the cause of the quake. Misty simply froze with fright. I was shocked in my own right. Laying on the ground in front of us were several swarms of Beedrill. All of which had been completely obliterated. Literally hundreds scattered the forest floor. None of them posed a threat. A couple of them tried to stand, but simply fell back down in exhaustion and defeat. I put my finger to my lip in order to shush Misty. I knew that there was still the risk of other Beedrill. And we still didn't know why all these Bug Type Pokemon had fainted. Misty nodded, acknowledging the danger. We tip-toed past the Beedrill, following them like footprints. As we descended deeper into the woodland, I could start to hear a lot of buzzing noises. I motioned for Misty to keep help guard up. I grabbed a hold of Houndoom's Pokeball. If the buzzing was coming from more Beedrill, Houndoom's Flamethrower would be able to ward them off. However, I heard a voice shouting as well. Although I could tell it was female, what she was trying to say was completely drowned out by the volume of the buzzing. As we turned around a sharp corner, we saw it…

Combee… lots of them. They were attacking the Beedrill using a move that I hadn't seen them use before. They seemed to be a little smaller than one would usually find in the wild. But why would Combee be attacking Beedrill? Then I saw something that sent a shiver down the length of my spine. Behind the swarm of Combee and the rain of fainting Beedrill, I could see the faint outline of a female Pokemon Trainer. And hovering several feet from the ground just in front of her, their Queen… staring directly at Misty and I with a remorseless look in its eyes…

**TO BE CONTINUED**

_**Next Time:** Can Jonathyn and Misty escape from the violent Pokemon in front of them? And something terrible happens to Casey…_


	7. Chapter 7

_DISCLAIMER:- I do not own Pokemon or any of their characters portrayed herein. I only own characters that have not been seen either in games or in the anime._

_MESSAGE TO READERS:- At last, I've found some time to post the next installment of this piece of fiction. It's been about a week or so since I last submitted a chapter. I expect a lot of you were wondering what had happened... ha, I must be dreaming. More and more development story-wise happening in this chapter, but there will be some more battles coming up in the next couple of chapters as well. Not to mention some definite shipping as well. So I will kindly remind those offended by PokeShipping to read a Sailor Moon story or something. Other than that, grab a lemonade, kick back and enjoy!_

**THE LEAGUE OF CHAMPIONS**

**CHAPTER 7: STOP VESPIQUEN! INJURY TO THE OPPOSITION!**

Still hovering just a few yards away from us, with an ominous red gleam in its eyes, the Vespiquen took time to survey the destruction it had caused. It was like no Vespiquen I had ever seen before. It was much larger than its usual portrayal. At a regular size, they are a little less than four feet in height. Yet this one seemed to be at least six and a half foot tall, more than likely taller than me! Even its wings were larger, yet still buzzed constantly at the same rate as its smaller counterparts. The Combee grubs circled around it, awaiting an order. I could not help but wonder who was actually controlling it. Was it wild? I wasn't sure, considering there was a female figure stood a good hundred yards or so away from the massacre of Beedrill. But what astounded me was that there was still more and more coming forth to challenge the might of this gargantuan bee, only to be taken down swiftly by its underlings. Misty by now was shaking, petrified by the sight of so many bug type Pokemon in one place. Even though the majority of the Beedrill had been completely annihilated by the overgrown Vespiquen and posed little danger to us, Misty was still not convinced enough to stop whimpering. We both remained silent, however. Or at least quiet enough not to be heard over the constant buzzing that was penetrating the very innards of my ears. I tried to sneak another glance over at the female who was behind the melee. Before I got too involved in trying to decipher who she was, another figure stepped forward. It was of the same height, but glowed with a red and yellow aura. I could see it fairly clearly. It was humanoid in stature, yet somewhat monstrous. It's forehead resembled two fireballs. It leapt into the air, but only as high as the Vespiquen was now hovering from the ground. The bee flew skyward, dodging the burst of flame that had been unleashed from the creature… with the buzzing noise faded, I heard the trainer's voice…

"Fire Blast, Magmar!" I heard the young voice cry. The Fire Pokemon jumped up again and fired a star of burning bright fire directly at the giant bee. More Beedrill came in on the attack, launching what looked like Poison Sting attacks at the seemingly unstoppable tank. All of a sudden, the Combee grubs returned and began attacking everything in their path. The Magmar dropped back down to the ground, almost in defeat. Yet it looked up in awe as the Fire Blast it had previously launched had engulfed the Vespiquen. Burning alive inside the inferno, the Queen Bee dropped to the ground. A swarm of Beedrill formed a wall between the remaining Combee and their fallen comrades. I could not see past all of the Beedrill, with the exception of a dark red aura, still surrounding the Vespiquen. The Beedrill that had previously fainted had all began to stir. They were getting back up to their feet. Misty held back a shriek, with a terrified look still filling her eyes.

"We'd be insane to hang around," I nudged Misty, starting to creep back towards the way that we had arrived. As she had done before, she nodded but she also grabbed a tight hold of my arm. I assumed it was for the sole purpose of protection and comfort to her. We started to carefully manoeuvre ourselves around the fallen Beedrill once more, yet with every step we could see more and more of the deadly creatures get back up to their feet. "Quickly, in here!" I pulled Misty into the safety of a hollow bush. Just moments later, a swarm of the formerly fainted Beedrill whizzed past us, heading for where the Vespiquen had been just moments ago. It took a good thirty seconds or more until the coast was clear. I peered cautiously out into the woodland path. Sure enough, almost all the Beedrill had congregated where we had been stood. But there was no Vespiquen or Combee in sight. One Beedrill seemed to be hovering above all the rest, perhaps communicating with them. After a couple more seconds of this, the Beedrill separated back into the depths of the forest. All but the one that was hovering higher. The same sort of dark red glow that had enveloped the Vespiquen at my last sight came over the Beedrill, before literally vanishing as a red beam of light into a Poke Ball. Then I could only see the trainer, but again, I could not see her clearly. The Magmar was stood next to her, which was also called back into it's spherical storage. I could not see the trainer's face, but the shirt she was wearing. It looked very familiar…

"Is it safe to head back?" Misty asked, still shaking with fear. I replied only by waving my hand, motioning for her to remain silent for just a couple more moments until I could figure out where I had seen that shirt before. The trainer began walking towards us slowly. I could hear her voice. It too sounded familiar. I withdrew myself back into the bushes quickly though, as some more Beedrill flew right by the hollow in which we were hiding. I daren't look out to look at the trainer in case one of the Beedrill spotted me. Then Misty and I really WOULD be in trouble. Yet, the young female trainer did not seem to be bothered by the normally territorial Bug Type Pokemon. Yet, her voice became clearer. I could hear what she was saying…

"I don't know whether or not to use Magmar tomorrow," she thought to herself out loud. "My other Fire Pokemon has had a bit more experience. Beedrill would be perfect, but I've also got another option now as well. I know who I will be using though…" Just as she uttered the name of her selected Pokemon, another Beedrill buzzed past us. It was so close, that the buzz from its wings completely drowned out what she had said. Yet I could hear the continuation of her planning, but in the end I lost interest. I became more concerned with the issue of escaping this forest without serious injury. I turned back to Misty, who seemed to be completely grossed out by a Metapod tucked up on a small branch a few inches away from Misty's face. I kept her calm, before grabbing her hand and dragging her out of the bush and quietly following the trainer back towards the Trainer Village. We noticed several more Beedrill were flying around, but they were mainly tending to the nearby Kakuna, possibly to ensure that they had not been badly injured during the bloodshed caused by the Combee and Vespiquen. In the time it took for me to notice this, the other trainer had walked on far into the distance. It appeared that she too was entering the Pokemon League. By now we had arrived back at the lake area where we had just been around half an hour ago, but where the sun was only beginning to set before, day had now turned into night. Stars shimmered in the black sky, there were no clouds to obscure them from my view. Yet, I did notice that there were a lot more nocturnal Pokemon around the lake area. A Zubat was flapping back and forth in search of prey, whilst a Spinarak had begun to spin itself a web around the tree where Misty and I had been relaxing not too long ago. A couple of Wooper and Quagsire were splashing around in the lake where Misty's Pokemon had been earlier on. 

"Finally, we're away from those Beedrill," Misty sighed in relief. I too was pleased that no harm had befallen us. "What are you going to do now?" she asked. "I think I might just head back and have a wash. I'm covered in all sorts of stuff after being in those bushes," she remarked as she plucked a small twig out of her hair. I took a look at the state of my clothes. My walking boots had now been covered in thick mud, my jacket had a small thorny strand hanging on to it and my back had also started to sweat. Perhaps I was a bit more nervous back there than I had originally thought. But I also noticed whilst looking at my clothes that Misty still had her hand wrapped around my arm and for some reason she was now stroking it as if it was a Glameow or something. I simply smiled upon realisation, but made no remark about it to Misty.

"I think I'd better have a shower too," I chuckled to myself. "I also need to figure out which Pokemon I'm going to use in my match tomorrow,"

"Oh yeah," Misty suddenly gasped. "I completely forgot about your match. Which arena are you battling on?"

"I think it's the Rock Field," I tried to remember. "I think that since Gabite is a Ground Type, I'll go with him. And also Lairon could become quite useful. Thank goodness it isn't a Double Battle," I then thought to myself briefly about the rivalry that my Gabite and Lairon had with each other. They were both strong Pokemon, but for some reason they just didn't get along. Perhaps they see each other as enemies. 

"Your match is three against three," Misty made me snap out of my concentration. "So which will be your third Pokemon?" I wasn't entirely sure at this point.

"Depends," I simply replied. "In the heat of the battle, you have to choose the Pokemon that will provide the best chance of winning. Whether it's a type advantage or a generally stronger Pokemon. You must know what I'm talking about."

"I do," Misty nodded. "It was the same as in my match. After Paul brought out his Electabuzz, I considered using my Gyarados since it is perhaps my strongest Pokemon, but I remembered Brock giving me Marshtomp to use in battle. I thought I had Paul stumped until he brought out his Torterra. Those grass moves did a number on poor Marshtomp. But I did what I had to do to try and win the match. I did my best and I have no regrets." She now seemed to have put her loss behind her, especially after everything else she had been through with me in the remainder of the day. 

"At least you've put that behind you now," I smiled. Misty responded with one of her own. I still had to think about what Pokemon Casey might have. I knew she had a Meganium, so I thought that Fire and Flying types would take that down no problem. Although Pelipper is a Flying Type, it is also part Water Type and that could be a disadvantage against a Grass Type. Houndoom was surely the best bet. But as I had thought to myself before, there was no guarantee that Meganium would even be used in the match. Then I suddenly remembered that Misty was an old friend of Casey's. Perhaps I could use that to my advantage. "I wonder what kind of Pokemon Casey has," I questioned, with a conniving look on my face. One which I hid from Misty as I spoke. 

"She's quite different as a trainer," Misty responded. "Her Meganium was her starter Pokemon. I met her when it was still a Chikorita. But I know that being a big fan of the Electabuzz Baseball Team, she has a liking to yellow coloured Pokemon and stripy Pokemon. I believe she said to me once before that she owned a Rapidash too." I let out a large grin. Rapidash was a Fire Type, so Gabite being a Ground type could take that one out without any real problem. Or perhaps even Pelipper's Water attacks… but still, I could think about that later. I wanted more clues. "I know she did have an Elekid," Misty continued, "since she's a big fan of the Electabuzz. Whether or not it's evolved yet or not, I don't know." Again, Gabite could defeat that with ease. "But it's been a long time since I've seen her. She may have caught a lot of different Pokemon."

"That's alright," I grinned. "I didn't need to know a list of all her Pokemon," I lied, "but it's certainly a great help."

"It's my pleasure," Misty bowed. "After all, I want to see you take Paul down. Casey might be a friend, but Paul is a greater enemy to me. I would love to see him get taken out of this tournament."

"Don't you worry," I grinned slyly in a way that isn't my norm. "If I have it my way, your wish will come true." Misty then smiled at me in a way that too seemed a little bit out of character. She still clung on to my arm, even though by now we had left the forest and we now on the outskirts of the Trainer Village. "I suppose you'll be heading back to Cerulean City soon, right," I asked so suddenly even I was slightly taken aback by saying it. Misty looked at me and blushed slightly. Why though, I did not really know until she answered. 

"I think I might just stay here a while longer," she began. "Although I'll have to leave my dorm by tomorrow night, since I've been knocked out of the tournament and all." To me, that was the biggest hint that I've ever been given. But nonetheless, I kept my cool about the situation.

"Well," I stammered unknowingly, "I've got an extra bed in my room, if you wanted to stay over until the tournament is over." She looked at me unsurely at first, but within seconds she had made up her mind.

"That would be nice," she smiled happily. I returned one to her. We both couldn't take our eyes off each other, just as we hadn't been able to pretty much since we met up after my first round victory. But yet again, the moment was shattered by a bellowing voice.

"Misty, Jonathyn, over here!" I saw Brock waving about a hundred yards away. We had now reached the Trainer Village. Brock's Croagunk was stood to the left of him. To the right was a Sudowoodo, who was also waving. Brock began to run in our direction, his Pokemon having no difficulty keeping up with him. Both of us let out a sigh. "Where have you two been?" he asked with an almost worried voice.

"Why? What's the matter, Brock?" I asked, detecting the uneasiness that Brock was emitting from his body language.

"Something awful has happened," Brock shuddered. "It's Casey. She's been brutally attacked!"

"Oh my God!" Misty screamed, "Where is she?"

"At the Pokemon Center," he replied. "There's too much traffic in Viridian City, so we can't get her to the hospital."

"What are we waiting for?" I too had a sense of apprehension about me as I spoke. "Let's get over there right away." With that, finally releasing myself from Misty's arm I lead the way as Brock and Misty gave chase. We were running as fast as our legs could carry us. Even in my heavy walking boots, I was able to keep a steady pace, yet quick enough to create quite a distance between myself and the other two. Passing several trainers along the way, we soon reached the Pokemon Center, with the perimeter of it being pretty much surrounded by equally concerned trainers, who had become aware of the situation. Just as the case had been when Misty took the brunt of the Leaf Storm caused by Paul's Torterra, we shoved past several paramedics in order to reach the bed in which Casey was laying. We rushed up to her side. The Nurse Joy on duty, along with a duo of a Chansey and a Blissey were tending to her until suitable medical support arrived.

"Ssshh," Nurse Joy shushed us rather abruptly. "She needs to rest," she then serenely softened her voice. I was completely aghast when I saw the extent of the damage that she had taken. One of her eyes had been blackened. Bruises covered her shins and knees, whilst her Electabuzz Baseball Shirt had been ripped, seemingly by large claws. Blood drenched bandaged were wrapped tightly around her waist and one of her arms. Misty had a tear in her eye, shocked at the brutality of her wounds. 

"Who did this?" I snarled. Even though Casey was a rival and my next opponent, I had enough decency to share my concern to others. Especially in these circumstances. "They don't look as though a human made them. They're far too savage."

"No," Nurse Joy replied. "A Pokemon did this."

"What kind of Pokemon?" Misty asked, deeply distressed at Casey's condition.

"We don't know," Nurse Joy shook her head in dismay. "From the nature of the bruises, it appears as though something had launched either a physical attack or some form of impact-style move."

"A Fighting Type, perhaps?" Brock asked, looking down at his Croagunk.

"Potentially," Nurse Joy sighed. "But it doesn't explain the cuts. The cuts she obtained are very deep, so I suspect this Pokemon used the move Slash on her several times…"

"There aren't any Pokemon around here that could execute a Slash that powerfully, surely!" Brock pondered.

"I doubt it," she replied. "But we did notice that one of her Poke Balls was wide open, yet her other five Poke Balls remained closed, with her Pokemon all still inside."

"So perhaps someone used a Pokemon to attack her in order to steal her Pokemon?" I suggested rather feebly.

"Sounds like something Team Rocket would do," Brock muttered.

"Who?" I questioned.

"Team Rocket," he repeated. "Criminals that steal other people's Pokemon with intentions of global domination. But thus far, many of their efforts have been thwarted. But for some reason, I don't even think that THEY would go to this extreme for the sake of one Pokemon."

"It's so strange," Misty wimpered with a puzzled look. "Hey, what's that in her hair?" she pointed at a large blob of pale yellow in her hair. Nurse Joy used her fingers to pull it out. It looked quite soft, yet it seemed to shine in the light. "What is it?" Misty asked.

"I don't know." Nurse Joy responded. "It could be tree sap, but it feels more like wax or something.

"Wax?" I scratched my head, now very confused indeed. "Now I AM confused."

"We'll have to wait for the Police," Nurse Joy wiped her fingers on a towel that was passed to her by her Chansey. 

"Does that mean Officer Jenny is coming?" Brock's eyes suddenly lit up, seemingly blocking out the situation. However, his Croagunk glared at him, raising his hand. It began to glow a dark purple. Brock hesitated. "On second thoughts, I'll just wait here with you Nurse Joy." His Croagunk winded back. "No, that's not what I meant!" 

**WHAM!**

The Croagunk once again delivered a Poison Jab to his trainer. Brock dropped down to the ground, as his Croagunk dragged him away once again. It croaked somewhat sinisterly, sliding its eyes around with an intimidating demeanour. As soon as he had hauled Brock out of the building, there were a few whispers heard within the crowd. Everyone in the Pokemon Center was in shock, Nurse Joy more so than anyone. 

"Did you just see that?" she squealed in utmost disbelief. 

"No way," Misty shouted. "Brock's Croagunk is just a bit possessive about his trainer, that's all."

"It is a Fighting Type, though." I argued. "If it does that to its trainer, it must do it to someone else as well."

"Jonathyn, what are you saying?" Misty scornfully replied. "You see those cuts there? How do you think a Croagunk could do that? It doesn't have claws or sharp teeth. And how about the wax in Casey's hair?"

"I don't know," I retaliated. "Perhaps it was poison or something."

"Don't be ridiculous," she scowled at me once again. "If you think that Brock's Croagunk is truly responsible for this then go ahead and prove me wrong. But I'm telling you, there's no way!"

"No need to get so worked up about it, Misty." I snarled back at her.

"Worked up about it?" she angrily responded. "A close friend of mine has been brutally assaulted and you think that another one of her friends' Pokemon is to blame?"

"I'm just saying it's a possibility," I replied.

"Fine," she huffed. "Go ahead, Sherlock. You go ahead and find that guilty Croagunk. I'll prove to you that it wasn't him!"

"If you're going to get like that about it, then fine! I will!" I scornfully answered, walking away from Misty and the injured Casey. "And don't bother coming round tomorrow," I immaturely added. I stormed past everyone in the Pokemon Center, a fist clenched. I finally made it to the exit and waved my head from left to right, trying to figure out which way Brock's Croagunk may have dragged him. It was only then I noticed Harley was trying not to giggle as he purposefully brushed himself past me.

"Lover's rift?" he asked mockingly.

"Shut it, Harley," I responded with a sharp tongue. I carried on walking, paying no notice. But even Harley seemed stunned at my blunt response. But I couldn't care less. I just carried on walking.

**TO BE CONTINUED**

**_Next Time:_** _Is Brock's Croagunk really to blame for the vicious attack on Casey? Jonathyn attempts to find out whilst Misty attempts to prove otherwise. And Casey regains consciousness, but what has happened to her missing Pokemon? It's just hours until Jonathyn is scheduled to do battle with Casey, but is she even fit enough to battle?_


	8. Chapter 8

_DISCLAIMER:- I do not own Pokemon or any of their characters portrayed herein. I only own characters that have not been seen either in games or in the anime._

_MESSAGE TO READERS:- Not much to say this time really, so grab a lemonade or something, kick back and enjoy!!_

* * *

**THE LEAGUE OF CHAMPIONS**

**CHAPTER 8: FLURRY OF EMOTION! A MYTHICAL RESCUE!**

With a yawn that would make a Snorlax proud, I sat upright in my bed. It took me a moment to figure out where I was. I could see my clothes draped over the back of a chair and a discarded towel had been thrown on the floor. I was back in my dormitory. I turned to my left, where there was a spare bed which was empty. Expecting to see someone else there, my mind suddenly played feedback to me of last night's events. I scowled to myself, as I stretch my arms out to the side of me, letting out another tired yawn. It seemed strange how all of this had happened to come around. Images began flashing in my head once again, all of which involved Casey and Misty. The fishing rod, the restaurant, the lake, the swarms of Combee and Beedrill, the Leaf Storm. And then finally a brutally vivid thought of the gashes and injuries that had been inflicted on Casey, followed by myself storming away from Misty. A flood of negative emotions unexpectedly consumed me all at once. I fell backwards into the bed once again, but for what was a couple of seconds seemed like an eternity. That's how I felt. I let out another long and tired sigh, staring up at the blank ceiling. After a couple of moments' thought, I rolled limply onto my side, dropping my feet down to the ground after kicking the covers off of me. I sat still for a moment, contemplating another yawn. But I held it back in the end. After reaching for my clothes, which had now been cleaned, I headed for the bathroom area. Picking up a cheap toothbrush, I squeezed a small layer of toothpaste onto the brush before scrubbing fairly liberally at my teeth. I stared at myself in the mirror. Somehow, my hair had managed to maintain its usual shape throughout the night. Upon looking at myself further, I began to wonder what I had done to deserve this fate that was unfolding in front of me. But I released myself from these thoughts by discontinuing locking eyes with my reflection. I completed brushing my teeth and spat out the fusion of saliva and toothpaste that had formed in my mouth. Quite literally, I threw my shirt over my head and slid my arms into the sleeves. Already I had put on my trousers. It was now just a case of clapping the mud off the soles of my boots. With a creak, I opened the door and went to clap the two boots against each other. But I stopped quickly as a figure had his knuckles raised to knock on the door. 

"What is it, Brock?" I asked not sounded very interested in what he had to say.

"I want to clear the air," he began sternly. "Firstly, I don't take kindly to people who use my friends for their own selfish needs."

"What are you talking about," I huffed in a nonchalant manner.

"You know full well what I am talking about," he continued with a strict tone. "You've been sucking information out of Misty about Casey ever since you found out they were friends. And you're leading her the wrong way."

"Wrong way?" I sneered. "How am I leading her the wrong way? I have been trying to look after her ever since she lost to Paul. And last night…well… I guess you've heard."

"Darn right I heard," he snapped. "There's a lot of things that you still need to learn. Not just in Pokemon, but in life as well." I looked at him with a puzzled look, before rubbing my boots together in order to scratch off some of the mud. "Do you not see the connection between you two?" he took a step closer, as if to drive the question in.

"Connection?" I pretended to ponder. I knew exactly what he meant, but the whole situation needed a lot more planning time than what Brock appeared to be giving me. 

"For goodness sake, man!" Brock lost his patience. "She likes you! She likes you a lot! And she has been talking to me nearly all through the night. Telling me about how you've been there for her and how you've defended her when confronted by the likes of Paul and Harley." I lowered my head slightly. "But then she said that you kept on asking about Casey. She knew something was up. And as much as it pained her to tell you which Pokemon she had, she also didn't want to hurt you either."

"Wow…" I muttered. "I didn't think she'd like me back."

"It's been tearing her apart," Brock continued. "But so long as you know, that is the main thing. Now, there's something else I need to tell you."

"What is it?" I enquired.

"My Croagunk did not attack Casey. I was heading back from Viridian City when I heard about it and my Croagunk was with me then. Although, we did see something big flying around the area. At first I thought it was a Pidgeotto or maybe even a Fearow, but it was a lot larger than I would expect them to grow."

"I didn't mean to accuse you or your Croagunk," I bowed apologetically. "It was the heat of the moment. Casey was badly hurt and I'd never seen damage done to human flesh like that. And after seeing your Croagunk use it's Poison Jab on you like that made a lot of people wonder…"

"He has always done that," Brock chuckled. "Misty used to beat me over the head whenever I started flirting with girls around her."

"That's kinda funny," I laughed as well. "Yeah… well, where is Misty right now?" Brock's head suddenly lowered gloomily.

"She went off looking for Casey," he replied gruffly.

"What!?" I exclaimed. "What happened to Casey now?"

"She ended up staying in the Pokemon Center. In the end, Nurse Joy's Chansey and Blissey were able to heal most of the smaller wounds. The longer ones will take a lot longer though."

"So then, what happened?"

"She just got up and left," Brock sighed. "Apparently, she was mumbling something about the forest to herself."

"The forest?" I repeated, trying to think. "Why would she want to go to the forest?"

"If I knew, I'd tell you," Brock answered. "But Misty is there right now looking for her. I know that she said that she was taking her Pokemon with her to defend her from any Bug Type Pokemon, particularly the Beedrill."

"I've got to go and find them!" I shouted, surprising even myself at the volume of my own voice. I raced to put my still muddy boots on my feet. "Are you coming to?" I asked, tying my laces into a knot.

"Too right," Brock nodded. "Croagunk's Anticipation ability should help us detect any threat to us before it comes too close." He grabbed a hold of a Poke Ball. "Come on out, Croagunk!" he shouted, throwing his Poke Ball onto the path. From it, the bipedal frog appeared. "We're going to help Misty and Casey and we need you to help us!" Brock asked kindly to his Pokemon, with a look in his eye that suggested fear. Possibly that his Croagunk might take the idea the wrong way and give him another one of those Poison Jabs to his gut.

"Croa-----, Croa-----," it croaked, inflating it's cheek sacks with each word. It then turn to face the direction of the forest. He knew exactly what was happening.

"How does it know that they're in the forest just from that?" I questioned, admiring the small yet potent Pokemon.

"Anticipation," Brock grinned. "It is a special ability that allows a Pokemon to detect a looming threat as it approaches. This particular Croagunk's Anticipation is incredibly acute."

"That's cool," I gawped, still in awe at the ability and skills which this Pokemon possessed. I thought to myself that a Croagunk with that kind of ability would be perfect on my team, but I quickly reverted back to the matter at hand. Finding Misty and Casey was my prime concern. "I know who else can help," I added. "Let's go, Pelipper!" I called, mimicking Brock in throwing its Poke Ball into the pathway. Pelipper burst of it. "Pelipper," it cawed, spreading its wings. Croagunk slid its eyes in the direction of Pelipper. It began to shudder a little bit. "Err… what's happening to your Croagunk?" I enquired. "Is it cold or something?"

"No, no," Brock smiled. "Anticipation. Again, it detects a looming threat. Pelipper is a Flying type, so they do severe damage to Fighting types. Croagunk doesn't know that Pelipper is an ally."

"Hmph," I huffed, but in an approving manner. "You certainly know your stuff when it comes to Pokemon."

"As one of the world's best Pokemon Breeders, I should do," he smiled once more. I hummed, again in interest.

"Okay, Pelipper," I called to my pelican Pokemon. "Brock, Croagunk and I need you to search for Misty from the air. Can you do that for us?"

"Per, Per, Pelipper," it nodded, flapping its wings briskly and taking to the skies. 

"You ready, Brock?" I nudged him slightly. He replied with a simple nod. I let out a grin. "You ready, Croagunk?" I looked down at the awe-inspiring Pokemon.

"Croa-----gunk," it replied. With that, we raced off towards the forest. Many trainers looked at us as we passed by. Croagunk was surprisingly fast, able to keep the pace with myself and Brock. Pelipper flew much faster in the air than we could run though. It began to circle in the air if it noticed that we were too far behind. Brock and I did not say a word whilst running. I could tell he was thinking the same as me. We just wanted to find Misty and Casey and make sure they were safe. Soon enough, the forest was in view. With every stride that Brock and I took, we could see the trees were getting larger and larger, nearer and nearer. I noticed a small group of Rattata scurry off the footpath as we approached, as a Sentret scouted our every move from the side of a nearby hill. A small flock of Spearow seemed wary of our presence, but the size difference between them and my Pelipper seemed to put them off a little. As we approached the ring of trees that surrounded the main forest, I could see a small group of Diglett popping in and out of the ground, along with a couple of Slakoth lazing in the morning sun. We slowed our sprint to a fast walk, before stopping at the first set of trees. Pelipper flew directly over the top of the forest and flew back by my side within minutes.

"See anything, Pelipper?" I petted it on the head as it walked up closer to me. It sadly shook its head, feeling a little bit upset that it wasn't able to provide much help. "Don't worry. You can't see through the trees, huh?" Again, it replied with a shake of its head. Its bill knocked against my leg softly. "That's alright. Thank you anyway, Pelipper. Take a rest," I withdrew my Pokemon back into it's Poke Ball. "So what now?" I sighed in desperation.

"Sense anything, Croagunk?" Brock knelt down next to his 'trusted' ally. Croagunk crouched for a moment, deflating and inflating its sacks whilst delivering its usual croak. I could see Croagunk's eyes moving back and forth, before finally he turned his head in the direction of a small opening in the trees that was just visible partway down the woodland corridor. It set off at a steady pace. We followed it into the woods, which once again were darkened by the lack of sunlight passing through the thick trees. However, as we came to the opening, the light returned and we arrived in front of a flowing stream.

"Hold on," I muttered. "I recognise this place. This is where I found Misty after her match with Paul. I know where to go! Follow me!" I suddenly bounded along the river bank, following the route that Misty and I had taken to get to the serene lake where we were sat not too long ago. I was running a lot faster now, Brock had trouble keeping up. Yet Croagunk seemed to be keeping up me without any problem. As we approached the area that would lead us to the lake, I suddenly notice something rise up from behind the trees. A giant, blue serpentine creature, firing an incredibly large beam of orange energy at an unknown target let out a huge roar that shook the forest floor. "That's a Gyarados!" I yelled. "It looks like that it is in the lake that Misty and I found yesterday."

"But why is it using Hyper Beam?" Brock called as he tried to keep up with me. We approached the small belt of trees that guarded the entrance to the lake. We suddenly stopped, not getting any closer to the heat of the battle. All I could see was the Gyarados trying to land an attack on something flying around its head. The unknown flying creature launched a powerful orb of energy at the serpent, knocking it sidewards. Gyarados then ducked beneath the surface of the water. I looked up at the flying Pokemon and was stunned when I saw it.

"It's that Vespiquen again!" I snarled, not taking my eyes off the freakishly large bee. "The one that attacked all those Beedrill yesterday." 

"It looks incredibly strong," Brock proclaimed. "We'd better keep our wits about us." He ducked as a small swarm of Combee grubs emerged from Vespiquen's honeycomb-like tail and began buzzing around it in a pattern. A move I recognised as Defend Order. The Gyarados burst upward from beneath the water, attempting to perhaps Tackle the aerial Vespiquen. But it dodged, sending the Gyarados crashing into the trees just in front of us. We scurried away to avoid, but without even noticing we both ended up in the open lakefront. The Vespiquen and her grubs did not seem to notice us. Instead, it focused its attention on the Gyarados, which was now lifting itself off the ground. Brock and I dashed to find some form of shelter, when I suddenly spotted someone stood on the near side of the lake. It was Misty! I was stunned to see her back out here, before remembering that she owned a Gyarados. Although when I last saw it, it was considerably more docile. She was ordering Gyarados to launch another Hyper Beam, which it fired rapidly. But yet again, the speed of the Vespiquen was vital as it swiftly dived downwards towards the ground, dodging the attack once again. Brock and I ran over to Misty, who glanced at us briefly before turning back to her battle. Croagunk seemed to stare at Vespiquen, tracking its every move. "There's no good you trying to battle that thing," Brock hummed, looking down at the frog Pokemon. "That thing is so fast your physical attacks wouldn't be able to land on it."

"Croa-----," it croaked once again, expressionlessly. It paced towards the battlefield nonetheless, seemingly ready to try and join in the battle. It began firing some small, poisonous needles from its mouth at the Vespiquen. They struck the lower back of the creature as it fired another ball of energy at Gyarados. As Gyarados collapsed, Vespiquen seemed to have difficulty staying in the air after the super effective, yet somewhat weak attack connected. 

"That Croagunk is something else," I remarked with my mouth wide open. Misty smiled, now seeing that the chance was there to take down the giant bee.

"Gyarados, use Hydro Pump to knock it in the water," Misty called with the loudest voice as she could so that her Gyarados, towering several stories above her could hear the instruction. "Vespiquen will be helpless if it falls into the water," she grinned at me as the dragon raised itself even further into the air. It launched a powerful torrent of water directly at the Vespiquen. I could see the water then disperse in various directions. It must have hit dead on. But upon closer inspection, I saw that the Combee grubs were taking the attack, as the Vespiquen darted along the side of the Hydro Pump attack, before it launched another powerful ball of orange and yellow energy at Gyarados' head, connecting with perfect accuracy. Gyarados roared in agony, falling to the ground with an almighty thud.

"That was Vespiquen's Power Gem," Brock gasped in disbelief. "I can't believe how strong that thing is! It even used Defend Order to stop the Hydro Pump hitting it!" Misty re-called Gyarados into it's Poke Ball. She apologised to it as Brock ordered Croagunk to go on the attack. "Alright, hit it with Poison Sting," Brock called. With a spring of it's strong legs, Croagunk propelled itself towards the giant bee and from its mouth spat out more toxic needles. Vespiquen dodged the majority of them, but Croagunk was able to follow its movements. The final few barbs landed, as Vespiquen attempted to regain its composure. "Now follow up with Poison Jab," Brock ordered. I watched anxiously as Croagunk's whole fingers began to glow as they filled with poison. The attack hit with brutal force, much more aggressively than I had seen it use on Brock himself. Vespiquen was now having trouble to stay in the air, as it called for it's Combee artillery to surround it. Within seconds, the small honeycomb-like bees began to rise into the air, along with Vespiquen. It somehow looked even stronger than it had done before. Its eye glowed an evil shade of red. "Oh no!" Brock shuddered. "Vespiquen is using Heal Order!" I could not believe the strength of this Pokemon. Then something inside me clicked.

"I'm going to catch that thing!" I snarled with a grin. "Let's go, Houndoom!" I bellowed, tossing the Poke Ball that I had grasped in my hand forwards. Houndoom popped out and growled upon seeing Vespiquen.

"Hound. Houndoom, doom," it barked as it stared at Vespiquen. For just a moment, the giant bee showed an expression of 'Intimidation' but it soon regained its composure and glared at Houndoom, who had now taken a position next to Croagunk.

"We've got to stop that thing," Misty cried. "That was the Pokemon that attacked Casey yesterday!" I suddenly stopped, as did Brock. The whole battle came to a standstill. "Casey came back here to confront it. I guess to get revenge on it for hurting her. I followed her here and she was being attacked again by it. Gyarados took her to a cave on the other side of the lake. My other Pokemon are looking after her over there," she pointed briefly to a small cave on what appeared to be a small island. 

"That's the thing that mutilated her?" I gasped. "Of course! It all makes sense."

"What do you mean?" Brock scratched his head.

"The slash marks across her chest, they must have come from Vespiquen's sharp claws. The bruises on her legs must have come from either the Combee swarm or even one of its other attacks." I smiled as I became aware of the what had actually happened. "Even the wax in her head. They probably came from them too!"

"You're right!" Misty smiled. "That means that Croagunk has been proven innocent! Jonathyn, you're amazing!"

"What?" I turned around, making sure that I wasn't hearing things.

"Err, I said that's amazing… how you figured that out," Misty blushed a little like she had done many times before. 

"Watch out!" Brock suddenly yelled, as Vespiquen fired another Power Gem attack. But this was not aimed at the Pokemon, it was heading for us. Misty froze, like a Buneary caught in headlights. She let out a petrified squeal for mercy. I feared the worse. I have no idea what came over me, but my legs pushed me off the ground uncontrollably. I felt the full force of the attack impact my left side. It was the most horrid pain I had felt for a long time. It was as if my bones had all snapped at the same time. I fell to the ground, thumping my head against the embankment. I could only hear Misty letting out another shriek of despair. I could see the blurry image of my beloved Houndoom running up to me. I then felt Houndoom's wet snout pressing against my cheek, as if trying to nudge me back to life. I raised my head weakly, but my neck seemed as though it was severing from my spine. Absolute agony, right the way down the left side of my body.

"Jon! Jonathyn!" I could hear Brock and Misty shout at me, attempting to revive me from this half-deceased position that I was in. Misty had lifted the back of my head off the ground in the same way I had done for her when that Leaf Storm struck her. I grinned and got back up to my feet, unaware of the pain I was in. My shoulder was dislocated and bleeding badly. I had cuts on my forehead and my clothes had been ripped and torn where the Power Gem attack had struck. But for some reason, all of these feelings seemed to just disappear. I let out a grin and paced past my Houndoom and Brock's Croagunk. I walked up to where the Vespiquen was hovering.

"Get down here," I pointed just in front of me. Slowly, the Vespiquen lowered from the air and landed just in front of me. We were almost the same height, perhaps the Vespiquen was just a little bit taller than me. I stared into its eyes, which had a look of hatred for everything. The crimson glow that they projected gave me this feeling that this particular Vespiquen had some sort of vendetta against all humans. This confrontation could well be foolish, I felt neither this nor brave. I believed that I had to do this. If I could make this Pokemon look at humans the way that the likes of my Houndoom does and Brock's Croagunk does, then perhaps I would be doing the world a favour. "Listen to me," I panted with difficulty to breathe, the wind still knocked out of me from the Power Gem, "there is something that I want you to tell me." The Vespiquen did not look amused in the slightest, but for some reason refrained from attacking me to listen. "For what purpose do you attack all that you see? First you attacked the Beedrill in the forest, then Casey… then you attacked Gyarados. And worst of all, you went to attack Misty. And you are brazen with it! Do you feel no compassion? No remorse for your actions?" The Vespiquen sustained the stare that it had been holding at me. Its impassive expression left little to suggestion. "Tell me!" I demanded. With that, it took one of its arms backwards and poised itself to slash me with its sharp claws. I simply stood still, leaving myself open and prone to its imminent assault. I could hear Misty and Brock yelling at me to get out of the way, but all of a sudden, a blast of flame shot past me and an overwhelming speed. I fell sideways, but managed to avoid landing on my dislocated shoulder. I looked up to see my Houndoom was using its fiery breath to burn Vespiquen in the same way that the trainer I saw yesterday had her Magmar do. Vespiquen flew skywards, as Houndoom turned back to my aid. "Doom, Houndoom?" I appeared to ask me. Obviously it was concerned, so I gave it my best answer. "I'm fine," I replied. "But don't attack that thing just yet. I think I can solve this problem."

"Jonathyn!" Misty screamed at me. "Get back over here, you're going to get hurt!"

"I've got it under control," I called back, not turning to look for fear of what her emotions might be showing on her face.

"Can't you see that it isn't going to listen to you?" she cried. "I beg you to stop this madness." But I refused. I stepped forward again, not scared to see what the Vespiquen could throw at me next. Houndoom walked beside me, but I tickled it behind it's ear and lowered my hand, motioning for it to remain where it was whilst I carried on walking closer and closer to it.

"You do not have to strong to prove you are dominant," I smiled. "You can be strong at one thing, but one way or another. There is always going to be someone who is better than you." The giant bee then began to say something, but I could not hear it. All I could see was its two large mandibles twitching back and forth. "You don't scare me, Vespiquen," I smiled slyly. "You can hurt me all you want. You know full well that I cannot fight back without my Pokemon. Do you not believe me?" It looked past my shoulder, which I was still clutching due to the agony it was producing. "Alright, I understand," I grinned, turning back to Houndoom. "I'm sorry about this, Houndoom. But you're going to have to sit this one out for me." My Houndoom looked a little shocked by the decision, but accepted it as it awaited me to return it to its Poke Ball. I withdrew it with my good arm, leaving my other to hang momentarily, before clutching once Houndoom was in the confines of its Poke Ball. "Brock," I called once again without looking, "Put Croagunk back in it's Poke Ball," I instructed.

"But Jonathyn…" he began.

"Do it!" I snapped. "Don't argue, please. Just do it!" Brock muttered something to Misty, before hearing Croagunk's croaking vanish. It peered slightly, but I could not see it. Only Brock holding out it's Poke Ball and a small, red light. It had been called back. "Now then," I turned back to the Vespiquen. "I am defenceless. Do what you want." Upon inspection, I could tell that the Vespiquen was hesitant. It did not know what to do. It's remorseless nature seemed to be in question. "You see? You can't. You know it is wrong." I was in for a shock, as the Vespiquen suddenly tackled me with a strong amount of force, but nowhere near as strong as the attacks I had seen it use before. I winced as my shoulder snapped backwards, but I realised that coincidentally, it had inadvertently popped my formerly dislocated shoulder back into its socket. I rolled it a little. It still hurt, but at least now I had some movement in it. I twitched my fingers, before looking back up at the Vespiquen with a grin. "Is that the best you can do?" I smiled at it, but not mockingly. "You know what the right thing is to do, don't you?" I smiled. But the giant bee began to scowl. Turning it's head away, it began to form another Power Gem attack… I was in alarmed to see that despite all that I had said, it made no difference. "Very well," I sighed, accepting that I had failed. "Do your worst." I spread my arms out, wincing once again as pain shot down my left arm from the previous attack. But I could tell that Vespiquen did not want to attack…

"Stop, Vespiquen!" I heard someone shout from afar. I looked over briefly, where on the island Casey had awoken. She was surrounded by Misty's Water Pokemon, as well as her Meganium. "Please, stop it!" she begged once again. Vespiquen seemed to be in some distress. But still, it formed the Power Gem larger and larger. "Don't do it!" she screamed. 

"Jonathyn, NO!" Misty's voice suddenly rung out through my ears. The whole forest seemed to echo with Misty's plea. I looked back at her. She was literally in tears. I looked over at Casey. She was also crying. In fact, even Brock had a small teardrop running down the side of his cheek. I sniffed a little, but accepted my fate. All of a sudden, I felt a strange presence. Something had appeared from the cave. A small, blue creature darted through the air and flew up directly into the sunlight. I was blinded by looking up at it, but I looked back to see that Vespiquen was looking up to the sky. Not at the mysterious creature in the air, but at empty sky. It leaned backwards and fired the Power Gem into the air, but not at any target. It had deflected its own attack. The small blue Pokemon came into view and floated right in between me and Vespiquen. It stared at me and playfully smiled. It then began to loop-the-loop around me and Vespiquen. The giant bee seemed to have become a lot more gentle and relaxed than before… 

"Zel----f," it squeaked happily. As soon as it had done, a bright light blinded me as well as everyone around. Even the Pokemon tried to shield their eyes from the intense brightness. The white light engulfed the whole lake area. I tried to see what was going on, but had to squint once again due to the intensity of the luminosity. The next time I looked up, the Vespiquen had vanished into thin air, but the small blue pixie-like Pokemon still danced around me in the air.

"What… is going on?" I stammered, looking on in wonderment at the majestic creature. It floated down from the air, spiralling like a feather. It smoothly stopped right in front of my face. "Who are you?" I asked with a soft voice. 

"Zel-Zelf," it happily giggled, as another blinding light appeared from nowhere. I could not see a thing, but I could feel all the pain that I had felt before just disperse from my body… What was happening…

**TO BE CONTINUED**

**_Next Time:_** _What has happened to Jonathyn when the light finally fades? What has happened to the Vespiquen? And whatever happened to the Pokemon that helped our heroes? Perhaps some of the answers will be revealed in the next chapter, as Jonathyn and Casey finally begin their Second Round Match!_


	9. Chapter 9

_DISCLAIMER: I don't own Pokemon...blah blah blah..._

* * *

**THE LEAGUE OF CHAMPIONS**

**CHAPTER 9: MUTUAL RESPECT! COMMENCE BATTLE WITH CASEY!**

Once the light had faded, I found myself in a room filled with fellow trainers. Some were packing up some items that they had brought with them, whilst others were preparing themselves for what lies ahead of them. Pokemon of various shapes, sizes, types and genders were flexing and psyching themselves up. I was sat down on a bench, with a locker just behind me with "Jonathyn Christian – KAN-259" engraved on a small plaque-like sign. I was holding four Poke Balls in my hands, each of which contained the Pokemon that I currently had in my possession. I suddenly realised what was happening. My second round match… it was moments away before it began. I was shocked to see the time. It was almost quarter to three. Only another fifteen minutes until it began. But to be truthful, I felt far from prepared. I could have two more Pokemon that I could use in this battle. I was fortunate though that unlike previous Pokemon League competitions I had entered, I did not have to register which Pokemon I was going to be using in battle. A blessing considering the events of the last couple of days, which had well and truly taken up all the free time that I had. I then clicked on to something… how on earth did I get here? The last thing I remembered was seeing that small, blue Pokemon… the blinding light. Then that memory reminded me of the punishment I received from that giant Vespiquen. I took a look down my left side, where it had hit me the first time. My clothes seemed to be freshly cleaned. I rolled my shoulder to check whether there were any repercussions from that incident, but there was no pain at all. It was as though everything that happened was undone. What had happened? My head began to hurt as I pondered the thought, but I soon snapped out of this trance-like state and resumed thinking about the matter in hand. I looked up at the clock. I now only had ten minutes to fully prepare myself for the battle. I glanced down at the four Poke Balls I was holding. One contained my oldest comrade, Houndoom. The second held my sturdy Lairon. In the third Poke Ball, my powerful Gabite that I had caught in Sinnoh. And finally, my flying Pokemon of the sea, Pelipper. I could still withdraw two more Pokemon from the PC that was back in the lobby, but time was short. I thought about the Pokemon that I knew Casey may use. Houndoom would be a must in this battle. Gabite could also come in useful, but I felt reluctant about using Pelipper, particular on the Rock Field. Houndoom would be somewhat of a trump card. Yet Lairon, despite its advantage of being in the perfect environment would be suspect to many type disadvantages. I needed to withdraw another Pokemon and I knew exactly which one I was going to use. I jumped up out of my seat and ran down the corridor back into the lobby, only to see several queues in front of the PCs that one could use to access their Pokemon that they had in storage. I joined the back of the shortest queue on the other side of the lobby. The person in front of me was just finishing. I was taken aback to see that it was Casey. She smiled politely at me.

"Ummm, hello Casey," I greeted with a little uncertainty. I was as surprised as I was before upon seeing that all of her wounds had too healed rapidly. She looked as though she was at full strength. She held three Poke Balls in her hands. Obviously the ones that she was about to battle me with.

"Hi Jonathyn," she replied respectfully. "Are you feeling alright?"

"Yeah, I'm grand," I nodded, wiping my forehead as a small drop of sweat appeared. "Do you have any idea what happened to us?" Casey paused for a moment.

"I remember Vespiquen attacking everything," she began. "Then it was about to attack you, but the Azelf came and rescued us all."

"Azelf?" I asked, having never heard of such a Pokemon before. "What kind of Pokemon is that?"

"It's a Pokemon that most people believe to be a myth," Casey grinned. "It's legendary. They say that Azelf have the ability to control willpower and are born with incredible telekinetic powers."

"A Legendary Psychic Type?" I wondered to myself. "That could explain how we winded up back here so suddenly.

"Could be," Casey shrugged. There was then an awkward silence between the two of us. She tried her best not to look at me, but she could not seem to help it. I reached around the back of my neck and itched it in somewhat ineptness. Finally, I decided to break the silence.

"Listen," I grovelled with a sad tone. "I just wanted to say to you that I'm sorry. I'm sorry for treating you so deplorably over the last couple of days."

"Oh, forget it," she smiled. "We both knew from the start that we are opponents. And being close friends with Misty has only brought our rivalry closer. There's no room in the Pokemon League for wimps. And from what I've seen from you, you are far from that." I cracked a large grin, pleased with what Casey was saying.

"It's not Misty's fault," I sighed. "But I'll tell you what, Casey. You're right about one thing. There's no place for wimps here. So I say we go out there and have the best battle we can."

"It's a promise!" she exclaimed, grasping my hand and shaking it competitively. "I'd best let you get on," she grinned. "We've got about five minutes before we're scheduled to start."

"Thanks Casey," I smiled, quickly spinning round and typing my details into the PC, but just as I had begun the loading sequence, I called back. "Hey, Casey…" she also stopped and turned to face me.

"Yeah?" she asked. I paused for a moment for some dramatic effect.

"Good luck to you," I grinned slyly. "You're going to need it." Casey simply smirked back. She could tell that I was having a quick joke with her, but I certainly meant it. She walked off down the corridor calmly, as I finally opened my first 'Box' on the PC. Immediately, I saw the first two Pokemon on the list. I grinned almost uncontrollably. "How could I forget about you guys," I laughed. "You could help me out big time in this next match!" I tapped on some more buttons and soon enough, in a small machine just to the right of the screen, two Poke Balls materialised before my very eyes. They widened as the machine whirred to a halt. I opened the glass chamber and withdrew the two spheres from the machine. I logged off as fast as I could, hoping that I still had time to make some final preparations. I bolted it down the corridor, trying not to bump in several other trainers who had been walking in various directions. I made it back to the waiting room, when I saw that a sealed envelope was sticking out of the door crease of my locker. I pulled it out. It was indeed addressed to me. Looking at the time on the wall, I had just seconds to spare as I tore it open. I pulled out a small letter.

"Jonathyn,

We might all be friends, but I feel closest to you. Sorry for yelling at you last night. I hope you can forgive me. I'll be rooting for you. After your match, I need to talk to you. So hurry up and win. Don't keep me waiting.

Love Misty."

I smiled and sighed at the same time. I held my head up high.

"Don't worry, Misty. I won't keep you waiting," I walked confidently and calmly down the tunnel, where I could hear the fans shouting. An official was waiting for me at the end. I held up my competitor's card, which contained my identification number and details.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, boys and girls," a voice echoed throughout the arena. "This is a Second Round Pokemon Battle right here on the Rock Field. Let's not waste anymore time and get on with the show. Introducing first, from Azalea Town in Johto, the man who defeated Carl Webb's rather unorthodox Rhyhorn in the first round with great style. Please welcome Jonathyn Christian!" The crowd erupted as the official motioned for me to take my position on the battlefield. I did not play to the crowd, but simply smiled in awe at the amount of people. Everyone looked so compact, shoulder to shoulder and barely enough room to stand. I took my position on a red platform, which rose up into the air the same height as Misty and Paul had been in their second round brawl. I stared over the battlefield. The Rock Field was where Harley had also battled just a couple of days ago. On this very podium, in fact.

"I hope they cleaned this," I muttered to myself, shuddering as the thought of Harley popped back into my mind. I refused to let my mind wander any longer and stared at the field once more. Many large boulders and standing rock formations made this a perfect place to use all sorts of different strategies. I had mine all planned out, but what kind of plan did Casey have? I had some idea, but I knew there was going to be something that would completely tear my strategy apart.

"And secondly, from the mighty city of Goldenrod also in the Johto region. She impressively defeated her last rival with great determination. Put your hands together for Casey!" The crowd cheered once again, as I saw Casey walk out from a tunnel on the other side of the battlefield. I wondered to myself how she managed to get there so fast, but quickly shook the thought away as Casey waved to the crowd. Her podium, painted a green colour began to rise as well. We were now on the same level, staring a hole through each other intensely, yet with high levels of respect. An official holding a red flag and a green flag stepped forward.

"This will be a three-on-three Pokemon Battle. Trainers can switch their Pokemon at any time and re-use them until they have fainted. There will be no time limit for this battle. Are you both ready?" Casey nodded, as did I with a smirk. "In that case, let the battle begin!" he called, raising both flags.

"OK, Rapidash! I choose you!" Casey called, as a stallion with a mane and tail of burning hot flame appeared on the Rock Field. I knew Misty had told me that she had a fire Pokemon, but I didn't expect a Rapidash to appear. I already had my first Pokemon in hand, ready to battle.

"I select Houndoom!" I shouted, releasing my dark underworld canine onto the battlefield. It barked its name as it usually does.

"And both trainers have chosen Fire Types to start off this first battle. The Dark Houndoom against the mighty fast Rapidash. Who will make their first move?" a commentator provided his feedback to the crowd.

"Rapidash, start things off with your Double Kick," Casey shouted, over exaggeratingly. The unicorn of flame neighed in response, before rearing up on its hind legs and lashed its front hooves at Houndoom. They connected to Houndoom's side, sending it backwards. Houndoom looked shaken by the strong attack, but managed to stay on its feet.

"Man, that thing has a strong Double Kick," I called over to Casey.

"Thanks," she called back. "I've been raising this Pokemon for a while and I taught it a whole bunch of cool moves."

"Well, Houndoom and I have a few tricks too," I grinned. "Let's go for a Faint Attack." Immediately, Houndoom began to run at Casey's Rapidash before fading into the air. Rapidash looked around in confusion, before Houndoom collided with it's hind quarters. Rapidash stumbled, but did not fall down. Casey frowned as the attack hit. "Faint Attack again," I shouted knowing that every time Faint Attack would be a direct hit. Once again, Houndoom disappeared and struck the rear side of Rapidash. This time it fell down, but quickly got back up to its feet.

"Rapidash, use Agility and then Double Kick," Casey ordered. The horse neighed once again and with an incredible burst of speed raced towards Houndoom, this time the Double Kick landed extra hard! The Agility not only raised Rapidash's speed drastically, it also seemed to boost the power of the Double Kick. Houndoom yelped in pain, before crashing into one of the rock formations. A cloud of dust and chunks of rock scattered through the air. "How do you like that?" she punched the air in delight. My eyes widened at her tactics. But I soon smirked, knowing how to turn this into my advantage.

"Use Faint Attack in the dust cloud," I continued grinning with content. Rapidash seemed a little agitated as Houndoom faded into the dust cloud, before colliding head on with Rapidash. "Follow up with Crunch!" I shouted again. Using its sharp fangs, it clamped down on the top of the fire-horse's neck. It neighed in pain and the sharp teeth sunk in deep. After thrashing for a moment, it managed to shake Houndoom off of it. It shook the pain away, before scraping its hoof along the floor, ready to attack in retaliation.

"This is turning out to be a very back and forth match!" the commentator excitedly spoke over the announcement system. "Both Rapidash and Houndoom are knocking each other blow for blow, yet both Pokemon seem to be equally matched."

"Not for long," Casey chuckled. "Use Sunny Day, Rapidash!" she called. With that, Rapidash's tail began to glow a bright yellow colour, before launching a beam of perpetual light towards the sun. The sun in turn began to radiate stunningly brightly. I covered my eyes slightly, but then realised Casey's mistake.

"So, you think that boosting your Fire Type moves will stop Houndoom?" I laughed boastfully. "Think again. Sunny Day boosts ALL fire type moves, not just your own. Fire Blast, Houndoom!" I began to smile uncontrollably as Houndoom roared upon spitting a large star-shaped flame directly towards Rapidash.

"Stay still, Rapidash. Don't move," Casey ordered, smirking herself. I suddenly changed my smile into a frown.

"What are you up to, Casey?" I wondered out loud.

"You'll see," she carried on smiling. The Fire Blast approached Rapidash with overwhelming power, but rather than causing damage, it seemed to somehow merge with the flames that formed its mane and tail. The flames expanded, burning at a much higher height. I was in awe at this sight. Casey's Rapidash appeared to be burning alive, but it did not even seem to phase it. It let out a loud neigh, rearing up on its hind legs, seemingly proud of the new power radiating from it. "You'll regret that little mistake," Casey laughed, pleased that her tactic had succeeded. "Rapidash's Flash Fire ability negates all fire type attacks and heightens the power of it's own fire attacks. And with additional power boost it gains from Sunny Day, its attacks are nearly unstoppable. So go, Rapidash! Use Flare Blitz now!" I could not believe this was happening! The Rapidash suddenly galloped at tremendous speed towards Houndoom. So fast in fact that at full speed, its whole body was covered by the massive flames that Houndoom's Fire Blast had caused. It slammed into Houndoom with deadly force. It crashed into another pile of rocks. How much more punishment could Houndoom take? I looked on, praying that Houndoom was still alright. As the cloud of dust settled once again, I could see Houndoom struggling to stay upright.

"Houndoom can't keep this up," I sighed to myself. "Return, Houndoom," I called my Pokemon back into its Poke Ball to take a well earned rest. The mistake I had made had cost me dearly. I began to think of possible ways to put Casey on the back foot. Lairon would not last a second against the sheer power that the Rapidash's fire type attacks were currently producing. I was juggling the idea of using either Pelipper or Gabite, since they could both withstand Rapidash's attacks, while also scoring some type advantages. Yet that Sunny Day would weaken Pelipper's water attacks. Within seconds, I made a snap decision. "Gabite, you're up!" I shouted, throwing my Dragon Pokemon onto the battlefield. It stood right in front of a large rock formation.

"Gaba, Gabite!" it growled, staring at the magnificent Rapidash. Casey frowned a little.

"I would return you, Rapidash," I could lip read what she was muttering to herself. "But the power boost you have is too great right now." She grinned. "Use Flare Blitz on Gabite," she shouted. Once again, it charged at full pelt, burning with the colours of yellow and orange. The flames almost turned into stripes of the colours as it ran. I seemed mesmerized by this…

Yellow Stripes…

I quickly snapped out of my trance.

"Dig quickly!" I shouted at Gabite. In an instant, Gabite vanished under the ground. Rapidash did not seem to notice this and slammed head first into the boulder that was just behind where Gabite was stood. Casey gasped, as Rapidash seemed to have taken a lot of recoil damage from that attempted Flare Blitz. Now was the perfect time to attack back. "Come up, Gabite!" I shouted down at the ground, hoping that it could hear me. The ground cracked a little, as Gabite surged out of the ground, knocking Rapidash off its feet and onto its side. Casey gasped.

"Rapidash, no!" she cried out, as her Rapidash twitched on the ground. "Get up, Rapidash, please!" she begged. The horse struggled, but amazingly got back up to its feet. I could not believe that Gabite's Dig did not defeat it, especially with the amount of harm that Houndoom had inflicted on it. The crowd was in uproar.

"Unbelievable!" the commentator shrieked in exhilaration. "Casey has raised a mighty fine Rapidash here. It's taking some punishment now, but can it withstand any more attacks from Gabite?" I tried to think of the next best form of attack, now that Rapidash was stunned. "Use Sandstorm!" I gave the instruction with a gleam in my eye. With an impressive swing of its tail, a stream of sand was whipped up into the air. Rapidash squinted and tried to turn away from the sandstorm, but that left it completely prone to attack. "Dig, one more time!" I ordered. Gabite quickly made a hole in the ground and surged towards Rapidash, leaving a crack in the ground as it moved.

"Double Kick as soon as it comes out of the ground," Casey yelled, her voice being muffled by the sandstorm. I could see Gabite pop out of the ground, but no sooner than it did Rapidash lifted its hind legs and brutally kicked Gabite right in the face. The crowd winced as the attack landed. Gabite skidded across the ground at the force of the attack. I was completely astounded that Rapidash was still standing, let alone being able to come back with such a strong and effective counter. "We're not going down without a fight, Jonathyn!" Casey called over to me. I nodded. This was possibly the most difficult battle I had ever fought. And this was only her first Pokemon. I knew I had to end this quickly… I thought back to my first round battle, when I used Gabite to defeat Carl Webb's Rhyhorn…

"Dig!" I yelled, just as the next Ice Beam raced towards Gabite. A cloud of icy steam and smoke filled the battle field as the attack landed. I waited in anticipation just to see how my strategy had fared. And sure enough, as soon as the smoke cleared, I could see a large hole in the grassy field. Gabite had escaped underground. Rhyhorn and it's trainer both looked bewildered. "Now it's time to wrap this up… Gabite, use Earthquake and then come on up!" With that, the ground began to move. Rhyhorn wobbled as the earth beneath him rocked. It lost it's balance and toppled onto it's side. Gabite could sense this and with a burst of energy it shot up from beneath the surface, sending the Rhyhorn hurtling into the air. It crashed to the earth with a mighty thud. A cloud of dust blew into the air and as it dispersed, the Rhyhorn had a dazed look in it's eyes. It had been defeated…

"That's it!" I snapped my fingers. "Dig one more time, then use Earthquake underground!" Gabite seemed to smile as it remembered the tactic. It quickly escaped, with the sandstorm still impairing Rapidash's vision. Then the entire field began to tremor violently. Rapidash lost its footing in the same way as that Rhyhorn had done. Laying prone to an attack on its side, Gabite once again burst out from the ground, this time landing the attack on Rapidash's underbelly. The sunlight seemed to fade, along with the sandstorm as Rapidash lay on the ground, barely moving. It's eyes told the tale.

"Rapidash is no longer able to battle," the official shouted, raising one of his flags in his usual fashion. "Gabite is the winner!" The crowd cheered for Gabite, also applauding the valiant effort that Casey and her Rapidash had put into the match. Casey called back Rapidash, thanking it for its hard work. She reached for her second Poke Ball.

"Good recovery considering that first mistake you made. But you'll definitely have trouble with this Pokemon," she smiled. "Meganium, let's go!" With that, she tossed Meganium's Poke Ball onto the battlefield. With a flash of red light, the Grass-Type sauropod appeared right in front of Gabite. I grinned to myself.

"Gabite, you've done fantastically well. Take a quick break," I returned Gabite into it's Poke Ball, before reaching for the third Pokemon that I was going to use in this battle. It would also be the last different Pokemon I could use too. "It's time for your Meganium to meet the relatives, Casey." I smirked. "Go Bayleef!" As I launched my Poke Ball forward, I could tell that my choice of Pokemon had taken the wind out of Casey's sails a little. The pre-evolution of Meganium appeared before it. "Bay, Bay," it called happily.

"Cute," Casey laughed, half-heartedly. "But Meganium is a lot stronger than your Bayleef. So let's start things off with a Vine Whip," Meganium suddenly sprouted two long vines from behind the flower on its neck and hurled them forward at my Bayleef. I smiled at this, knowing how to put Meganium away quickly.

"Dodge that Vine Whip, then use Toxic!" I shouted. Instantly, Bayleef swayed to one side to dodge the Vine Whip attack, before the scythe like leaf that grew from its forehead began to glow a dark purple, similar to the way that Brock's Croagunk's fingers does when it delivers a Poison Jab. Bayleef thundered forward toward its evolved cousin, before slashing it with the poisonous leaf. Meganium began to look ill, as the poison started to flow through its body. "It's only a matter of time now, Bayleef!" I called, knowing that the poison would soon wear Meganium right down.

"I don't think so," Casey wagged her finger at me, in a similar way that Harley would, mockingly and cockily. "Aromatherapy will heal you, Meganium. Do it." With that, the petals protruding from Meganium's neck began to glow and emits a soothing pulse of natural energy. Soon, the cut from which the poison had entered healed up. The poison effect had worn off. I was dumbstruck that Casey was able to counter my strategy yet another time. "I knew that someone would try a Poison Attack at some point on my Meganium, so how could I not have it learn a move that heals it from all status problems?" Casey called her tactics over to me. I simply shook a fist in frustration. "Now then, where were we? Oh yeah, let's try out a Sweet Scent." Casey's Meganium smiled, as the pulses of aromatic energy changed its direction, as well as turning a lighter shade of pink. The smell seemed to catch Bayleef by surprise, as it began to sniff around in wonder. It liked the smell. "Vine Whip!" Casey called. Bayleef was still trying to figure out where the smell was coming from and did not even see the vines coming. They whipped Bayleef across the face several times. Bayleef began to scowl, as if it were cursing itself for falling for such an attack.

"Don't worry, Bayleef," I encouragingly called over to it. "Let's use Magical Leaf." Bayleef grinned, as it began throwing a barrage of multi-coloured leaves into the air. They all scattered in different directions, but ultimately sliced at Meganium, even though it had seemingly tried to dodge. "Do it again!" I called, knowing that Magical Leaf would never miss its target. Once again the leaves flew through the air and connected with Meganium.

"Is that your best policy?" Casey taunted. "Just Magical Leaf all the time? I'll soon change that. Sunny Day, Meganium!" In the same way her Rapidash had, Meganium unleashed the attack skyward. The sun became much brighter.

"For the second time in this battle, Casey is having her Pokemon use Sunny Day," the announcer called out, rather enthusiastically in an identical manner as he had done the rest of the match.

"Sunny Day again?" I laughed. "What good is that?"

"Solarbeam, now!" Casey ignored my comments. Meganium stared towards the sun. It's petals turned a pale white, glowing with energy. As soon as it opened its mouth, a beam of solar energy rocketed forward, sending Bayleef hurtling back once again. Although it was shaken from the attack, it still maintained its vertical base.

"Bayleef, take a rest," I called back my Pokemon for the third time in total. Casey frowned. She seemed to know what was coming. "Houndoom, I need you!" I summoned my Fire Type Pokemon onto the field. Houndoom seemed to relish the strong sunlight. "Use Flamethrower on Meganium!" I shouted. A fiery ball of flame swirled around Houndoom's mouth, before unleashing the attack straight at Meganium. The Sunny Day made the attack much stronger, and Meganium seemed to be severely weakened by the blaze. Casey looked on in distress. There was nothing she could do this time.

"Solarbeam again, Meganium!" she called out frantically, knowing now that her Meganium would not be able to withstand too much of this kind of punishment. Once again, the sauropod-like Pokemon shot it's Solarbeam directly at Houndoom. The speed of which it fired the attack was astonishing. I did not even have time to order my Houndoom to dodge it. But even though the attack connected, Houndoom still stood tall. "This can't be happening!" Casey shriek in vain.

"Let's finish this one with Fire Blast!" I shouted, knowing that the victory was creeping ever closer. A star of burning flames erupted from Houndoom's mouth and connected with Meganium head on. It went whizzing past some rocks, before finally crashing just below Casey's podium. Meganium lay nearly motionless on the floor, but it picked up its head with the last of its energy. And even though it made a valiant attempt to get back up, it dropped back down in exhaustion. I punched the air with delight.

"Meganium can no longer continue! Houndoom wins this round." The official confirmed the outcome. I was happy knowing that I had whittled Casey's Pokemon down from three to one. I grinned in anticipation, wonder which Pokemon Casey would use next."

"This is an incredible match up!" the commentator boomed. "Jonathyn has switched all of his Pokemon at good times. He still has all three of his Pokemon fighting fit, whereas Casey is now down to her last. What will she choose to battle back?"

"You know what, Casey?" I called over to her. "You've raised your Pokemon very well and you've taught them some good moves. I was a little worried when you used Aromatherapy to heal the Toxic attack…"

"Thanks," she bowed. "But this isn't over yet." She then glared at me with the most serious look any trainer had given me since my arrival here at the Pokemon League. She then let out a smirk that was almost as sly as my own. "You know how I lost one of my Pokemon after I was attacked?"

"Huh?" I stuttered. "What does that have to do with anything?"

"It has everything to do with this," Casey chuckled. "I got it back earlier… and I suppose now would be a good time to introduce you to my newest comrade." I suddenly gasped, as she launched her Poke Ball skywards. From it emerged her ominous Pokemon. Were my eyes deceiving me? They couldn't have been. Just a few feet away from Houndoom, the Pokemon's eyes began to glow the same shade of crimson that they had done the last time I saw them. It hovered as it usually does, just a couple of inches from the ground. It loomed over Houndoom, ready to strike. Casey then began laughing to herself, as I remained completely flabbergasted.

"No way!" I gawped to myself in disbelief… "That…Vespiquen… belongs to Casey!?"

**TO BE CONTINUED**

**_NEXT TIME:_** _Casey and her newly acquired Vespiquen battle back against Jonathyn's team. Will Casey pull off a huge win? Or can Jonathyn somehow figure out a way to defeat this monstrous Pokemon?_


	10. Chapter 10

_Disclaimer: I don't own Pokemon... yada, yada... you've heard it all before, right?_

* * *

**THE LEAGUE OF CHAMPIONS**

**CHAPTER 10: A DRAWN OUT BATTLE! VESPIQUEN'S ONSLAUGHT**

It had been the cause of so much torment over the last day or more. The projectionist of violence that it had caused to many Beedrill and other Pokemon in the forest. After it had assaulted Casey, the mere subject of its actions almost tore my friendship with Misty into pieces. And now, there it was. Awaiting the deserved punishment that was about to befall it. My eyes were filled with anger, after everything that Pokemon had done and now it was in the command of my opponent, Casey. What a wildcard she had turned out to be. She was obviously the trainer who was with Vespiquen when we first met it. I tried to think back to that time… I remembered when Misty and I had seeked refuge within the vegetation, the trainer walked past. She had a Beedrill herself, as well as a Magmar. I began to put the pieces of the puzzle together and it was beginning to make sense.

"_I don't know whether or not to use Magmar tomorrow," she thought to herself out loud. "My other Fire Pokemon has had a bit more experience. Beedrill would be perfect, but I've also got another option now as well. I know who I will be using though…" Just as she uttered the name of her selected Pokemon, another Beedrill buzzed past us. It was so close, that the buzz from its wings completely drowned out what she had said. Yet I could hear the continuation of her planning, but in the end I lost interest. I became more concerned with the issue of escaping this forest without serious injury._

The other Fire Pokemon… her Rapidash no doubt. The other option as well as her Beedrill… well, that was staring me right in the face. Then it occurred to me… she had indeed caught the Vespiquen there and then, before using the Beedrill that she already owned to convince the other beings of its kind that all was well. But then, after she left the forest, she must have called out her Vespiquen to get acquainted with it, but its temperamental nature caused it to attack her and fly back to the forest with the rest of the Combee that it lived with. Then Casey went back off to find it, with Misty in tow. That's when we confronted it again at the lake… before that blue Pokemon appeared… Azelf… what sort of Pokemon was that? Vespiquen had us all stumped, yet the Azelf appeared from nowhere and calmed it in an instant. From there, I could only remember the events of this match… Already, her Rapidash and Meganium had been taken out, but this would perhaps be the real threat. I have already seen first hand what this Vespiquen is capable of. I took a good look at my Houndoom, who still seemed to be hanging in there despite taking an early battering by Rapidash and taking a Solarbeam dead on. I knew that I would have to put some serious hurt on it early, before it had a chance to do any real damage.

"So, Jonathyn," Casey grinned, proud of her choice of Pokemon. "You couldn't beat it yesterday and today will be the same. My Vespiquen and I may have got off to a bad start but now we are a team. Right, Vespiquen?" Casey seemed to be not the least bit scared of the portentous queen bee Pokemon.

"Ves--pi," it buzzed, twitching its mandibles as it bobbed its head.

"Hang in there, Houndoom," I encouraged it in a low tone. "We're going to put one hundred per cent into this battle, are you with me?"

"Houndoom, doom!" it barked, before snarling at Casey's newest Pokemon, which still loomed ever closer.

"At least that Sunny Day from Meganium will give us that extra boost of power," I noticed that the sun, although not as bright as when the effect first took place, was still active. "Give it a Fire Blast," I shouted. Just like before, another star shaped burst of flame blasted towards Vespiquen.

"Dodge it." Casey called. In one fluid motion, Vespiquen raised upwards. The Fire Blast missed easily, as the Vespiquen suddenly hurled itself forwards towards Houndoom. "Power Gem, go!" Casey shouted. Upon stretching its arms forward, a ball of yellow energy began forming in the parting between its two sets of razor sharp claws. The ball grew larger and larger as it continued flying directly at Houndoom. It stopped just millimetres from Houndoom, before firing the attack at point blank range. An explosion rocked the entire arena. I looked on in dread, hoping to see that Houndoom was still alive, let alone still be able to battle. As the smoke cleared, it became obvious that Houndoom did not survive the attack enough to continue this battle. It looked completely drained. The match official raised my coloured flag for the first time this match.

"Houndoom has fainted. Vespiquen wins!" The crowd roared with excitement yet again. This time, it was my turn to look frustrated. I called back Houndoom into its Poke Ball.

"Thank you, my friend," I smiled gratefully. "You deserve a good rest." I looked back over at Casey, who was now waving a couple of Electabuzz paper fans in the air, obviously cheering her Vespiquen. Although I had a lot of respect for her as a trainer, I found myself wishing that our paths had never crossed. The shock of seeing that giant Vespiquen now battling for Casey seemed to be affecting my concentration. "I can't believe it knocked out Houndoom with only one hit," I cursed in annoyance. I know how strong that thing is, but to do that in just one go? It made me wonder what I had to do in order to defeat it. I only had two options left now. After a sudden brainstorm, I knew which one I was going to go with first. "You might think that this match is turning around, but not yet… it might not have worked the last time, but this time there is no way you can get around it. So Bayleef, come on out!" As soon as my Poke Ball touched the ground, my young sauropod like Pokemon remerged. It smiled cheerfully, although I knew this was no laughing matter at the moment. "Bayleef, hit them with Toxic!" I shouted with my fingers crossed, hoping my plan would work this time. I held back a shout of joy when I saw Casey let out a gasp. Just like it had done against her Meganium, Bayleef's head-leaf began to glow a dark purple. As it slashed the lower abdomen of the levitating Vespiquen, the poison was transferred across. I saw it shudder as the toxins began to flow through its body. "Not much you can do about that this time, Casey!" I whooped in delight.

"Trust me, there is," Casey smirked. "You forget, Poison may hurt my Vespiquen, but that's nothing compared to what its Bug Type attacks will do to your Bayleef. And there's one particular attack that I have in mind. Attack Order!" Vespiquen shot up into the air once again and thrust its lower abdomen forward. From the honeycomb like holes that were dotted around its abdomen, six Combee grubs emerged. Bayleef looked completely shocked. It was outnumbered! The angry young Combee began firing beams of multicoloured light straight at Bayleef. It flinched and winced as the attacks kept on barraging it. As soon as one Combee stopped, another would resume the onslaught. Bayleef cried out, as Vespiquen's troops continued the attack. I had to think fast. There was no way that it could withstand much of this. I could see Casey looking quite content with herself. I scowled to myself, the nerves now completely taking over. I had no idea how to get Bayleef out of this predicament.

"Magical Leaf," I called uncertainly. I almost felt myself turn away, not wanting to look at what was happening. But I could not resist. As I watched the attack commence, the leaves began to strike the Combee grubs with great force. They were quick to retreat to the honeycomb-like holes in Vespiquen's lower abdomen. I smiled, glad that Bayleef was now safe. But I knew it wouldn't be for long. I had to follow up with something good. But before I could even think…

"Slash it!" Casey yelled remorselessly. Vespiquen's arm winded back, poising its sharp claws ready to strike.

"Dodge it and use Magical Leaf again!" I called. Bayleef reacted like lightning to miss the Slash attack. I could see Vespiquen stare at it as its claw narrowly missed its mark. Bayleef then swiftly launched the Magical Leaf attack, which at close range did a lot of damage. It bumped across the Rock Field, before skidding to a halt just in front of its trainer. Even with the type disadvantage, Vespiquen still appeared to have taken more damage than it would usually. Perhaps it was the effects of the Toxic attack taking effect. I fidgeted with glee. "This is one heck of a battle, Casey. But you know I'll be leaving as the winner," I taunted respectfully.

"I doubt that," Casey smirked. "Vespiquen, use Heal Order!" I suddenly stopped dead. The Combee grubs reappeared on the battlefield, beginning to circle around Vespiquen in the same way it had done when we saw it battling Misty's Gyarados. I rubbed my eyes, still not believing that all the damage that Bayleef had caused had now been negated by Heal Order. What more could I do? Even though Toxic was whittling down its health, Vespiquen would just regain its strength with Heal Order. "So tell me," she grinned, folding her arms as if she was not amused by my strategy or being cocky as regards to her own. "What are you going to do in order to win? I can answer that question for you. You can't win. Vespiquen may not have been the most co-operative Pokemon when I first caught it. But I suppose I have Azelf to thank for its change of heart."

"Azelf?" I questioned. "Why thank Azelf?"

"Don't you know anything?" Casey sighed. "Azelf has the ability the change a human's or a Pokemon's emotions. It can even become one with another form of life. If not for Azelf, Vespiquen would still be refusing my commands and attacking everyone." She clasped her hands behind her head. "But it's worked out well for me…"

"Obviously," I sneered. "Vespiquen may be powerful, but it isn't undefeatable. I'll prove it to you. Use Magical Leaf again!" Bayleef fired its attack yet again, connecting with Vespiquen who had now taken to the air once more. Despite the earlier attack being much more damaging, this particular Magical Leaf seemed to have little effect. Vespiquen still looked incredibly healthy, despite the effects of Toxic's poison now taking full hold.

"Attack Order," Casey screeched. The Combee grubs re-appeared and flew straight at Bayleef. They began firing their beams of energy. I had to protect Bayleef somehow…

"Light Screen," I called quickly. Instantly, a barrier encased Bayleef. The attacks of the Combee could not get through the strong defence. Now I knew how to counter the devastating move. But I knew it couldn't last. Bayleef could not keep it's Light Screen up for long. I knew we had to attack back. "Magical Leaf!" I called. I knew that as long as the move hit its mark every time, I would be able to slowly wear down the giant bee Pokemon. Bayleef's defenses lowered as the Combee seemingly gave up on their attack and returned to their honeycomb. Bayleef swung the leaf on its head, but only one leaf appeared and dispersed into the air. Bayleef gasped in shock. "What's going on?" I shouted. "Try again, Bayleef." With a determined look in its eyes it attempted to launch the attack again, but the same thing happened again. I shook with frustration, confusion and distress all rolled into one ball of emotion. "Why won't it work?" I boomed. Casey simply laughed at what was happening. Something that made me frown even more.

"Vespiquen has an ability called Pressure," Casey gurned. "It limits the amount of times your Pokemon can use a move. You know how some moves can only be used a certain number of times? Vespiquen's Pressure halfs that number. You've used Magical Leaf so many times that your Pokemon can't use it again for the rest of the match." My world suddenly seemed to stop. I hung my head, almost with a look of defeat. How was I going to be able to stop this monster? "Finish it now!" Casey screamed. "Attack Order, one more time!" Once more, the baby Combee returned from the honeycomb where they had resided to attack.

"Light Screen quickly!" I yelled frantically. Once again, Bayleef erect its shiny screen of light, blocking the attacks of the Combee. I wondered to myself how I could possibly keep Bayleef in this match, but it seemed a little hopeless now.

"Attack the Light Screen all in one spot," Casey grinned. The Combee combined their attacks to one pinpoint of Bayleef's Light Screen. Vespiquen looked on as a small crack appeared in the barrier. It soon shattered into the air. The powerful attack had broken through and struck Bayleef with fatal force. The attack did not stop for a good thirty seconds or more, before the grubs finally retreated. Bayleef was out cold. I shook my head in confusion and somewhat fear.

"Bayleef has been defeated. Vespiquen is victorious," the refereeing official declared, raising my coloured flag yet again. The crowd exploded, cheering for Casey and her Pokemon. I held out Bayleef's Poke Ball, as it withdrew back into the comfort of its home. I smiled as it returned, despite the despair that was running through my veins.

"Thank you so much, Bayleef," I appreciatively beamed. "Your efforts will not be in vain, I promise." There was only one thing left for me to do now. Gabite was the only Pokemon that I could use. I felt foolish for not using Pelipper in the match, it would have been perfect to knock out Vespiquen using its Flying attacks. Gabite is a Ground Type and its most potent attack Earthquake could not hit it whilst it was airborne. And even Dragon Claw would prove difficult. I was kicking myself for not teaching Gabite any long range attacks. I was clueless. I considered myself to be a great trainer, but the pressure and nerves had completely made me lose control of this match.

"Don't give up, Jonathyn!" I heard a voice cry. I looked around, but could not locate the person who's voice called out to me in the thick crowd. "You can do it!" the voice came again. It was female, for sure… Misty… I saw her waving, before cupping her hands over her mouth and shouting at me again. "You can win! Go on, Jonathyn!" she encouraged. I looked on nervously. Brock was sat beside her. He was also cheering me on. Notwithstanding the dilemma I now faced, my two friends' words of encouragement seemed to trigger something inside of me. That same intensity that I used to feel when in the midst of such an important battle… the victories of my more recent Gym Battles sprung to mind. I remembered how hard my Pokemon and I had trained in order to get this far. And I would be damned if I was going to let a Pokemon that had caused me and my friends so much grieve over the last couple of days to interfere with my dream of becoming the Pokemon League Champion.

"Misty… I thank you," I smiled internally, having now been given back my confidence as a trainer. I wasn't the only person who wanted me to win and that made me more determined to make it happen. "Gabite, let's end this!" I war-cried, hurling Gabite's Poke Ball back onto the field. The dragon Pokemon returned onto the field. "Bite, Gabite!" it growled. "I know the perfect way to get that Vespiquen out of the air. Use Sandstorm!" I shouted. Within seconds, Gabite had whipped up another of its powerful tornados of sand and dirt. It hit Vespiquen with full force. Now it was Casey that had stopped in her tracks. She looked a little shocked that the move was executed so soon.

"Vespiquen, get out of there and use Confuse Ray!" Casey shouted. My heart skipped a beat. Confuse Ray would put Gabite at a huge disadvantage if it hit.

"Don't let it hit you!" I warned. A ray of dark purple light flickered through the Sandstorm, but its aim was severed by the magnitude of the Sandstorm. Gabite was able to avoid the ray with ease. I noticed that Vespiquen had lowered itself down in order to attack. This was my chance!

"Dragon Claw, full power!" I roared, knowing that victory was so very close. Gabite charged into the Sandstorm, with its claws glowing a pale shade of green. I saw Vespiquen fly out of the twister, but not using its wings. It crashed atop of one of the rocks on the field. I whooped, raising my hands into the air. Casey simply smiled, but wagged her finger at me again.

"Don't think this is over yet! Heal Order, Vespiquen." Casey chuckled. The Combee grubs once again made their appearance and circled around their Queen. Within moments, the Bee Pokemon had regained health yet again, but at what cost.

"It IS over, Casey," I smiled back. "You see, you might well be able to have your Pokemon heal itself, but the poison from Bayleef's Toxic attack only gets worse and worse as the battle goes on. Heal all you want. Soon, the poison will do more damage than Heal Order can restore health."

"Then I suppose we'll just have to finish your Gabite off before that happens. Confuse Ray, Vespiquen!" Casey pointed. Another shot of dark purple light raced towards Gabite. This time, it surrounded Gabite in a thick purple fog, before dispersing. Gabite looked around, before staring at Vespiquen. It charged at it, but stumbled sideways and collided head on with a large rock. Casey looked on in amusement, but I was less than pleased with this move.

"No! Gabite, snap out of it!" I pleaded. But it seemed to be ineffective. "Gabite, use Dragon Claw!" Gabite's head suddenly popped up. It's claws glowed once more, but it used the move on the rock that it had just ran into rather than its opponent. But I refused to give up. I could hear Misty and Brock still shouting and cheering for me, disregarding the fact that I was at a disadvantage. I looked around a little more. I could see so many people, but sat in the very front row was a face that made mine screw up in anger. Paul was smirking at Gabite's confusion. His eyes were interlocked with my own.

"Pathetic," he murmered, as I read his lips to decipher what he had said. I clenched my fist yet again. I paid no attention to Vespiquen using Heal Order for the umpteenth time. Paul shook his head at me in disgust. I glared back with hatred in my eyes. I wanted to prove him wrong. Here and now.

"Gabite, use Dragon Claw on Vespiquen!" I boomed. Gabite heard me and charged at Vespiquen once again.

"Fly upwards and keep that Heal Order going!" Casey ordered. Vespiquen weakly began to fly skyward. I could tell that the poison had indeed made Heal Order a lot weaker as well. Gabite still ran towards the ascending Vespiquen.

"Use that rock to get closer and then jump up!" I cried, hoping that Gabite was still able to hear my instructions. Even being confused, Gabite ran up the side of one of the rocks, before jumping onto a taller one before leaping up with the biggest bound I had seen it use! It swiped at Vespiquen with its claws… but missed! Gabite had a look of worry on its face as it began to fall back down to the ground. With a heavy thud, a large cloud of dirt puffed into the air. Vespiquen maintained it's Heal Order almost consitantly. As the cloud cleared, I could see a large hole where Gabite had landed. Casey simply smiled.

"Let's wrap this match up," Casey called to her Bee Pokemon. "Plug up the hole with your abdomen, then use Attack Order!" Her strategy was cunning. She knew that in Gabite's confused state, it would not be able to counter. Especially not with that horrible fall it had just taken. Vespiquen's grubs returned to her, before she lowered herself onto the hole. She wedged herself in, before unleashing the underground attack. I then suddenly thought of something. Something that could finally put this match away.

"EARTHQUAKE!" I roared. Within seconds, the whole arena was shaking. Vespiquen was stuck and was feeling the effects of the Ground attack. Casey was speechless, only her gaping mouth told the tale. "Now give it your most powerful Dragon Claw from underground!" I shouted with excitement yet again. The shaking continued until Gabite blasted through the rocky ground, slicing Vespiquen hard with the Dragon Claw. Vespiquen flew backwards, but somehow its wings continued beating, keeping it inches from the ground. "What!?" I exclaimed. "There's no way it could have survived that!" I looked over at Vespiquen, who was struggling to stay in the air. Then I realised. "It's trying to battle the poison…" I gasped. Vespiquen swayed back and forth. It began to fly forward, preparing its claws for another attack. But it soon stopped and dropped down to the gravel below it… Casey watched on in horror…

"Vespiquen cannot continue the battle. The winner of the match, Jonathyn Christian and his Gabite!" The official announced. The crowd exploded into wailing cheers and applause. I knew not just for me, though. Casey had provided an exceptional battle. I leapt down from the podium and ran at Gabite. I wrapped my arms around its neck with joy.

"Gabite, you were exceptional out there," I smiled appreciatively. "Gabite, Gaba!" it replied triumphantly. Casey had ran over to her Vespiquen, lifting its head up. "What's say we help Vespiquen out?" I turned to Gabite. "Bite, Gaba!" Gabite nodded as if out of a sign of respect. We walked over to Casey and Vespiquen. I reached into the inside pocket of my jacket and pull out a small bottle of orange liquid. I sprayed it across Vespiquen's body. Casey seemed befuddled by what I was doing. As soon as the bottle was empty, Vespiquen's wings began to flitter before it raised itself off the ground, before landing on its abdomen to rest. It looked a lot better. Back to one hundred per cent health. Even the poison effect seemed to vanish. "I used a Full Restore on your Vespiquen," I smiled to Casey. "It looked as though it was suffering from the Toxic attack and I always carry one with me…" Casey bowed at me.

"Thank you," she indebtingly smiled. "I'm sorry if I seemed a little bit out of sorts in the battle," she apologised. I raised my hand to stop her.

"No need," I replied with a chuckle. "In the middle of a match, it's what trainers do. No harm done. I just hope that you aren't too upset."

"Upset?" she laughed. "That was the best match of my life. I would happily lose to anyone who battled half as well as you did today. You were the better trainer. I will just have to train harder with my Pokemon, right Vespiquen?"

"Vespi--," it buzzed with a sort of pleased expression on it's face.

"Gabite, bite, Gabite!" my Dragon Pokemon barked back with an equally happy reply.

"I'll let you get on," Casey smiled. "We'll catch up later, I want to see Misty and Brock before I go too."

"That's fine," I responded. "I've got some things that I need to do as well."

"Cool. Congratulations, Jonathyn," Casey offered her hand courteously. I gladly shook it. The crowd cheered in admiration of our respect after such a gruelling battle. I returned Gabite into its Poke Ball, as did Casey with her Vespiquen. I headed towards the tunnel, applauding to the crowd as well in acknowledgement of their support. I could see Misty and Brock waving as I passed, but made sure I did not lock eyes once again with Paul, who was now walking in the opposing direction. My next destination was the Trainer's Lobby, where I was going to find out my next opponent immediately. I did not want to waste any time, so that I could utilise the time that I would have to train and prepare for such a battle. I was still psyched that I had actually made it through this round. But if it was that difficult so early into the competition, I would have to do much better to progress into Round 4…

**TO BE CONTINUED**

_**Next Time:** Jonathyn finds out who his next opponent is, before joining Casey, Misty and Brock to search for the illusive Azelf that rescued them before… but find themselves in a tricky situation when they get there… but before that, Misty talks to Jonathyn about her feelings for him and someone called "Ash"..._


	11. Chapter 11

_Disclaimer: I don't own the rights to Pokemon. Although I do own Pokemon Pearl... been playing it for hours... lame joke aside, let's continue._

* * *

**THE LEAGUE OF CHAMPIONS**

**CHAPTER 11: LOVE INTERRUPTED! GO THROUGH AZELF'S LABYRINTH!**

There was nothing that anyone could say that would snap me out of this mood that I was in. I could taste the ecstasy of victory across my lips and pumping wildly through my veins. It was almost as though I could not believe what I had accomplished. Particularly in defeating Casey's seemingly unstoppable Vespiquen. It was by no means easy, but I had done it. I was also glad that there were no hard feelings between myself and Casey after everything that had happened in the last couple of days or so. Now, I was slowly walking down the entrance tunnel in the opposite direction to when I entered the battlefield. Several trainers congratulated me as I walked past them. Obviously, they had watched the battle as it happened. I bowed my head to thank them. As I got back to my locker, I started to sort my belongings. I checked my backpack to ensure that nothing had been removed without my knowledge. The letter that Misty had sent me was still semi-stuck out of the locker. It reminded me that I had to see her at some point. A large plasma screen displaying the names of the advancing trainers of the second round was hanging at an angle from the ceiling. Several other trainers were also glancing at this screen. My name had just flashed onto the screen, added to the bottom of the list. There were still several more battles to be completed in this round, but I was more interested in seeing who had won previous battles. I immediately saw the emotionless face of Paul near the top of the board. I had already seen him defeat Misty in an earlier contest, much to my displeasure. My eyes then locked on another picture… this was a female with long, flowing blond hair. She had a couple of black bobs tied into them that did not look dissimilar to a Lucario's features. Part of her face was opaqued by the length of her hair.

"Where have I seen that face before?" I scratched my head in an attempt to remember. But my thoughts came back blank. "Oh well," I shrugged, not really caring. "I'm sure I'll find out somehow." The screen then flashed again, changing over to a battlefield that was covered in ice. A battle had just finished. I watched in interest to see the occurrences of the battle. I could see that one Pokemon had passed out, covered in small shards of icy snow from the field. I could tell from the feather sticking out of the dark Pokemon's weasel like head that it was a Sneasel. The camera panned over to show the Pokemon that had defeated it… a Wigglytuff. But it was like no other Wigglytuff I had ever seen. The look in its eyes was satanic and filled with darkness. It sent a small shiver down my spine as it glared at the camera. "I wouldn't like to face that thing," I murmered quietly. The camera then panned over to the Wigglytuff's trainer. My jaw dropped. I squinted my eyes as I turned away slightly. It was Harley. That flamboyant fool who had taunted me almost as many times as Paul had done since I had arrived at the Indigo Plateau. Although as annoying and disturbing as he was, he did not get under my skin as much as Paul did. Harley descended the podium as his Wigglytuff bounced over to his side was walked alongside him. Harley was blowing kisses out to the crowd, celebrating his victory. "I can't stand that guy," I sighed, turning back round to continue arranging my backpack. I noticed Nurse Joy walk into the room. She suddenly pipped up upon recognising me, walking up to my side.

"Hello Jonathyn," she greeted. "I know you've just had a gruelling battle, but we need to arrange your third round fixture." I quickly closed up my rucksack, before slinging it over my shoulder and standing vertically in front of Nurse Joy.

"Sure thing," I smiled, ready to find out who I was facing.

"Now, you realise that the rules have changed slightly for this Pokemon League?" she reminded me. I nodded, but not really aware of all the changes. "As part of regulations, all third and fourth round battles are different. Your opponent has already won their battle and has been drawn to face you. And since they have picked an opponent, it is now down to you to select a match type."

"How do I do that?" I asked, a little bit confused as to why they had suddenly changed the rules.

"I'll show you," Nurse Joy smiled, holding a Poke Ball in her hand. She held it out in front of her and from it popped out a small, yet cheerful Pokemon. It was a strange looking creature. It had a worm-like neck that was poking out from a shell of some description. There were several round holes in this shell, from four of them legs were protruding.

"Shuck," the Shuckle squeaked happily.

"Shuckle," Nurse Joy got down onto one knee to talk to it. "We need you to help this trainer select a match type!"

"Shuckle!" it cheered, seemingly delighted that it was able to help out. With that, Nurse Joy pulled out some pieces of card with different match types on them. She showed them to me, before folding them up and placing them inside Shuckle's shell. There were four different match types in total. The Shuckle withdrew its legs back into its shell, I assumed to mix the selections randomly. I kept on watching, waiting for something to happen.

"Well?" Nurse Joy pouted. "Are you going to pick one?" A sweatdrop appeared on my head.

"Uhhh… how?" I replied, feeling a little bit dumb.

"Just reach into the top of Shuckle's shell and pick one out," she giggled at my stupidity. I frowned slightly, but then couldn't help but let out a small laugh myself. I fumbled around, trying to find one of the pieces of card. Eventually, I placed my fingers around one of the cards and pulled it out of the shell. Shuckle then withdrew its legs, which were holding the other three cards. "Let's see what you've selected," Nurse Joy smiled, taking the card from my hand and unfolding it. She showed me the battle type. "A Double Battle," she confirmed to me. "Two Pokemon Each, the first to knock out both opponents wins."

"Fine by me," I smirked, as Nurse Joy withdrew her Shuckle from sight back into its Poke Ball. "So what now? Do I get any more details on the match?"

"Oh, yes," she was reminded. "Your opponent goes by the name of Darkhan." I began to snicker to myself.

"His name is Darken!?" I sniffed, trying not to burst out laughing.

"No, Dar-_khan_!" Nurse Joy corrected me. "As in Kangas-_KHAN_. Dar_khan_, you see?"

"I do now," I chuckled once again, still in complete disbelief that someone would actually call themselves such a ridiculous name.

"Now hold on," Nurse Joy sighed at my immaturity. "I want you to know that your battle will be on the Ice Field," she told me. I regained my composure and nodded, wiping a small tear from my eye.

"Sure thing," I snickered once again. "When will it be?"

"Midday, the day after tomorrow. So you now have time to choose which Pokemon you would like to use and train with them if you wish. Until then, the best of luck to you," Nurse Joy filled me with confidence as she walked out of the Trainer's Lounge. No sooner than she had left, Misty burst into the room out of breath.

"Whoa, steady there," I backed up, a little stunned by Misty's sudden entrance. "What's the hurry?"

"I'm sorry," Misty wheezed, almost completely out of breath. "I just wanted to catch you," she paused to catch a gulp of air, "before you went off."

"Where would I go?" I smiled. "I got your note, by the way. What's up?"

"Well, perhaps we ought to go somewhere a little bit quieter," Misty suggested. I seemed a little nervous. This was the first time that Misty and I had properly spoken since we had the argument about who attacked Casey, which turned out to be her Vespiquen even though I seemed to blame Brock's Croagunk. Even though Brock himself had told me about Misty's feelings for me, I had no idea what she was going to say to me. For all I knew, she could say to me that we had no future together. What was I thinking? I didn't know. These emotions… is it love? We carried on walking out of the Indigo Stadium and headed for the Trainer Village. I noticed that several trainers had packed their bags and left, since they had been eliminated from the tournament. We stopped just outside the cabin in which I was currently staying. "Mind if we go in?" Misty asked. I shook my head slightly, reaching for the key in my pocket. I pulled it out, a keychain with a miniature Poke Ball displayed my trainer number. With a click, the lock opened and we were soon inside the cabin. I quickly walked over to the window at the head of my bed. Misty sat near the foot of it. I could hear her patting the mattress as a signal for me to sit down. With a little bit of a dry throat, I did so. She hung her head for a second, before looking up at me and smiling.

"So…" I began bluntly. "What is it?"

"Well, I've been doing a bit of thinking," Misty began. "The first time I met you was back at the Cerulean Gym. You battled me for the Cascade Badge and you defeated me with your Chikorita. And even then, we became good friends…"

"Yeah," I stuttered. "So what?"

"Before then, I had been travelling with Brock and a boy from Pallet Town. His name was Ash…"

"Ash?" I asked with a slightly worried voice. I had heard her talking to Brock about Ash before, but I had never met him face to face. "I've heard you talking about him briefly before. From what I've heard, he seems like a decent guy."

"He really is," Misty nodded with a loving tone in her voice. "I travelled with him throughout all of Kanto and Johto. I also went to see him briefly in Hoenn, but he's never around. I really liked him, but things have just sort of fizzled out between us," she sighed with a sad voice. She then looked up at me. "But you are so similar to him. Your battle style, your sense of pride… it's all the same. And the thoughts of him just keep on flooding back."

"What are you getting at here, Misty?" I tried to make her get the point across. "I want to know how you feel."

"How I feel?" Misty said, raising her head and staring deeply into my eyes. "I feel confused," she answered. "I don't know what it is about you, Jonathyn. But there is a part of me that never wants to leave your side. When we had that argument last night, it was as though you took a piece of my heart with you. It was so upsetting. I spent the rest of the night talking to Brock. And it was all about you. Not Ash, but you!" I paused for a second. I did not quite know what to make of this. I hadn't heard a girl explain her feelings for me this way before in my life. I wasn't entirely sure on what to expect. "Jonathyn…" Misty whispered, still gazing at me. "I don't know the best way of putting this into words, but I'll try…" I began to shake all over, as if I knew exactly what she was going to say. My mind raced, trying to think of the right answers. Did I truly feel the same… "Jonathyn," she whispered my name softly once again. "I… I think I'm fall-"

"HELLO!?" a voice banged on the front door. Misty and I both bolted forward, surprised by the sudden interruption. Misty and I both sighed, but still looked at each other. Out of the blue, she leaned forward and kissed me softly on the lips. I did not pull back, nor did I seem to return the kiss. My face overflowed with a deep crimson red. Misty did the same. She looked somewhat embarrassed, but I simply smiled at her. I stood up to answer the door. "ANYONE IN THERE?" I could hear Casey yelling at the top of her voice. With a small huff, I opened the door. Casey beamed at me, looking rather excited. "Hi Jonathyn," Casey said, rubbing her hands together uncontrollably. Brock was also stood next to her.

"Hello Casey," I sighed slightly. "How are you doing, Brock?" I acknowledged his presence.

"Not so bad," Brock returned a polite grin.

"We were going to head back to that lake and see if we could find the Azelf again!" Casey flapped excitedly. "You wanna come with us?"

"Uhh… let me see," I pondered the thought. I really wished that Misty and I could be left alone for just a little longer. But before I could come up with an answer, Misty walked up beside me, the blushing colour still apparent on her face. However, Casey was far too excited to notice and Brock seemed to be checking out some of the female trainers that walked past. Misty looked at me and nodded. I faced Casey once more. "Sure," I replied, although uncertainly. Casey bounced up and down in excitement.

"GREAT!" she squealed with glee in a high pitched voice. "We don't want to capture it, but we thought that if we could just see it again to make sure we weren't actually dreaming…"

"I get the picture," I interrupted. "What are we waiting for, then?" I quickly grabbed my backpack, which I had flung by the door. Misty followed me out of the door, before I snapped my fingers in sudden annoyance. "Damn," I scowled to myself. "I didn't get a chance to heal Gabite, Houndoom and Bayleef."

"Don't worry," Casey smiled. "Brock gave me some Full Restores, so if you want to we can heal them now for you."

"That's very good of you," I bowed thankfully. "You mind if we do it now?"

"Go right ahead," Casey nodded, as Brock passed her a Full Restore, then passed one on to me. I dropped the three Poke Balls to the ground. Houndoom welcomingly barked as it appear. Gabite let out a tired yawn and Bayleef stomped around, pleased to see everyone. "I'll heal your Bayleef," Casey approached it with one of the medicines. "I know where Bayleef like to be healed, since Meganium evolved from one." I smiled, as Bayleef nuzzled the side of her face despite the fact she had been a foe just moments ago.

"If you could heal Gabite for me, Brock," I asked. "I'll sort Houndoom out."

"No problem," Brock smiled. Gabite seemed a little taken aback when the spray first hit its skin. But it soon relaxed and seemed to enjoy the treatment it was getting from the Pokemon Breeder. Bayleef was literally loving the attention that Casey was giving it, as she stroked it under the leaf on its head. Houndoom was also rather affectionate towards me as I applied the treatment. Misty watched on, seemingly delighted by the reaction that my Pokemon were giving. Moments later, the Pokemon were refreshed and restored. They cried out happily as their wounds were healed. I called for them to return, before thanking Brock and Casey for their assistance.

"Shall we set off?" Casey pointed towards the forest not far from the Trainer Village. We all nodded, as we quickly headed towards the forest. For some reason, Misty seemed to distance herself slightly from me whilst Casey and Brock were around, yet as soon as they were a little ahead, she'd cling on to my arm and hold my hand. She was possibly concerned that Casey might say something about the matter. I did not mind though. I was already thinking about my next battle… a Double Battle against the man known as Dar-KHAN. I had no idea what to expect from him, since I had never even heard of him before. But what I did know was that we would battle on the Ice Field, so I needed to try and find a way to utilise my surroundings. Something which Gabite managed to do almost perfectly in my last match, but this next match might be different. The ice on the battlefield could severely affect Gabite's performance due to its intolerance for the extreme cold. On the other hand, Gabite has pulled out the stops for me in the last two rounds, so perhaps it will be more useful than one would think. But what about its partner? Possibly Houndoom, since Fire Types are a perfect match for ice types. I considered my options. There was also my Lairon, which I had not used in an official battle as of yet, but it did cause some major damage to Harley's Pokemon when we confronted him a couple of days ago. But there was that rivalry. Gabite and Lairon simply cannot co-exist with each other. I do not really understand why. I tried to think back to the day when I first realised that there was tension between the two… but before I had the chance, I felt my whole body feel a sudden sensation.

**SPLAT!**

My foot had slipped down a muddy embankment. My face fell flat into the thick mud. Casey and Brock turned see what had happened. Misty was almost in tears, laughing at my misfortune. I chuckled as well, as I picked myself up. After wiping chunks of mud off my face and my coat, I threw a Poke Ball into the air. Pelipper appeared in front of everyone. It only took one look at me, before it felt about laughing as well. Mind you, Pelipper has always enjoyed the fun side of life…

"This is going to sound very strange, Pelipper," I began, still shaking some mud from my person. "But could you use Water Gun on me, just slightly…" Pelipper cocked its head to one side, still holding back the laughter. "Come on," I sighed, chortling at myself a little more. "I'm covered in mud, can't you see? So please, use your Water Gun to rinse me off." Pelipper appeared to shrug its wings before firing a torrent of water at me. The water hit me so hard, it sent me flying backwards into a tree. I felt my back crack as it hit. I tried to order Pelipper to stop, but it could not hear me. The water was gurgling around my mouth. I waved my hands for Pelipper to stop. Eventually, the stream of water ceased. Pelipper could not help but caw in hilarity. I was literally soaked. That was certainly no regular Water Gun… "Ugh…" I groaned as I peeled myself from the tree trunk, shaking some water out of my hair. "Looks like you learned how to use Hydro Pump, then…"

"Pelipper Pel-Pelipper!" it called to me.

"That's rather handy," I laughed. "Thank you for that. Pelipper return!" I called, as Pelipper grinned obligingly. I noticed that Casey, Brock and Misty were all in stitches with regarding to what had happened. I could not help but hysterically smile as well. We continued walking, as I continued to wring my clothes to get rid of the excess water. We soon arrived at the clearing that we had been at before. The lake area was completely serene. Various wild Pokemon had congregated around and in the lake. Magikarp were leaping high out of the water, before flopping back down with a splash. Schools of Goldeen and Seaking were swimming elegantly around the lake. A Corphish was scuttling across the lakeside bank, chasing a frightened Krabby. I noticed a couple of Yanma hovering just above the lakes surface, trying to get a quick drink before flittering off in another direction. We looked around and could indeed see that the cave in which Casey was recovering beforehand was still visible. But something was stood in the entrance way. A bipedal figure, walking upright like a human. I glared as it entered the cave.

"Wonder what that is?" Brock exclaimed quietly. "We need to get over there somehow."

"Well I know how I'm getting over there," Casey smiled. "Let's go, Relicanth!" Casey called, as an old-looking fish appeared in the water. It let out a long yawn that even made me drowsy.

"When did you get a Relicanth?" Misty asked, observing the half-Water, half-Rock Pokemon with intent.

"I went on a scuba diving trip while I was dating Georgio," Casey turned to Misty. "You remember him, right?"

"Yeah, I remember," Misty blushed a little. She turned away as if to hide it from me. I peered over, but she just sweetly smiled at me. I had no idea who Georgio was or how Misty knew of him, nor did I really care.

"Relicanth is great," Casey smiled. "Nice scales, strong swimmer and has a great defence! But let's get to the matter at hand. Relicanth, could you Surf me over to that cave for me?"

"Re--licanth," it yawned wearily, but nodded as Casey carefully manoeuvred onto its back.

"How are you three going across?" Casey asked.

"Easy!" Misty replied, as her Gyarados appeared right beside the Relicanth. Misty and Brock climbed on board, but I remained on the shore for a moment. "It's okay, Jonathyn," Misty comforted me.

"It's not that," I differed. "It's just that I don't want to cause your Gyarados any grief. The serpent faced me and shook its head as if to say I was talking nonsense. Misty gave me the same look. "Fine," I sighed. "If that's alright with you, Gyarados." It let out an intimidating roar, which made the hairs on my neck stand on end. Misty giggled.

"Gyarados says it isn't a problem," she grinned. "Over we go, then." Gyarados and Relicanth began swimming forwards, towards the cave. The figure had now walked right inside the mouth of it, fading from our view. I was incredibly surprised to see that the seemingly old and weary Relicanth was keeping up with the gigantic Gyarados. It took us a few minutes to reach the other side of the lake and onto the island on which the cave was situated. We departed the backs of the respective Pokemon, who were then returned into their Poke Balls. Casey brushed off some water droplets from her bare legs, as we approached the mouth of the cave.

"So who wants to go in first?" Casey shuddered. "It's a bit dark in there…"

"I'll go," I boldly proclaimed, stepping forward. Misty quickly ran up to my side and clung on to my arm like an Octillery's tentacle. "I guess you don't like the dark?" I whispered in a caring, yet somewhat mocking tone. Misty whimpered as she bobbed her head. "Don't worry, I'll protect you," I smiled. Casey and Brock followed behind Misty and I as we walked down a long passageway. We were passing under a colony of Zubat, whose ear-piercing screeches echoed throughout the cave. We began to run, covering our ears due to the excessive noise. We did not realise how far we had run, until we arrived at a large opening. The sound of Zubat had faded at long last. The cave seemed to come to a stop. A long line of circular boulders cut off what looked like another passageway.

"We'll never be able to climb over those boulders," Misty whispered.

"SSH!" Brock begged up to be silent, pointing to the end of the line of rocks. I turned to look at where he was pointing and froze, intimidated by what I saw. It was an Onix. It's rock body had completely blocked the passageway, and it had its eyes closed. Although its heavy breathing produced a warm, yet moist wind that blew throughout the cavern. "Whatever you do, don't wake it up," Brock whispered, waving his hand to tell us to follow him. We snuck past it, tip toeing past its tail. There was a gap just small enough for us to squeeze through. Brock ushered Casey to go through first, then he followed.

"Go on," I urged firmly, but no louder than a whisper as not to disturb the sleeping giant. Misty held my hand as she slid past the Onix as the other two had done, but then she stopped dead. I wondered why. "What are you stopping for?" I raised my eyebrow, trying to give her a small push to encourage her.

"L-Look there," she stuttered as she pointed with a shaky finger. I seemed none the wiser until I looked back behind us. An Electrode had rolled up to where we were sneaking through. It had a mischievous expression on its face. Now, I'm not the biggest expert on Pokemon, but I know enough to know that Electrodes are notorious for self-destructing for no reason at all. From what I gathered, this one had every intention to do so and it would hold no regret, even if it caused us serious harm. We needed to get through this gap before the Electrode detonated, otherwise there is a good chance that the shocked Onix will crush us like bugs between its massive rock body and the cave wall.

"Electrode! Electrode!" the spherical Pokemon menacingly laughed, as it stared right at me.

"Don't do it, Electrode," I whispered, hoping that my pleas would somehow get through to the Electric Pokemon. It smirked at me, before tapping itself against the tail of the Onix. I could hear it yawn as its enormous rock head raised up, before lowering back down and falling asleep once again. The Electrode seemed to knock it harder and harder with each go. Misty had quite literally frozen with fear. I tried to get her to move, but she wasn't complying. The danger is now at its highest. "Come on, Misty," I tried to nudge her along yet again, as Brock and Casey reached for her free hand. I quickly looked at the Electrode. No sooner than I did, it began to glow a pale white.

"Hurry, Misty!" I begged, knowing that we could be seconds away from certain death. Brock and Casey, along with myself finally managed to get Misty through the gap between the next passageway and the Onix. I did not hesitate as I quickly followed.

"Trode! Electrode!" I could hear the Ball Pokemon yell as it's energy became too great for it to contain. The entire cave shook as the Electrode self-destructed, the explosion causing the Onix to awaken in a blind rage. From the roof of the cave, a series of large rocks began to rain down. "Run for it!" I yelled in a panic, as we ran for our lives as far away down the passageway as possible. But we stopped as another cave-in blocked our route. Mercifully, the rubble that had fallen from the passageway behind us had stopped just metres from the blockade in front of us.

"That was a close one!" Casey panted, wiping sweat from her forehead.

"Too right," Misty also caught her breath back. "But what do we do now?" she huffed as she noticed that we had nowhere to go. I was also too busy surveying the situation to comment. I knew that we were in more trouble than was apparent. Who knows how thick the cave walls are… I didn't want to cause another cave-in. That would almost certainly seal our fate.

"We're trapped like Rattatas," I sighed, as I pounded my fist against the cave floor…

**TO BE CONTINUED**

_**Next Time:** Can our heroes escape from their cavernous prison before it's too late? And what other challenges must they face as they continue to search for the illusive Azelf?_


	12. Chapter 12

_Disclaimer: I don't own Pokemon nor the characters portrayed in this story with the exception of Jonathyn and other trainers not seen in the games nor the anime._

_MESSAGE TO READERS: Well, I've cut off a little from the main Pokemon League for a couple of chapters. But never fear, there is still plenty of storyline left as well as many more battles to fight in. The "Azelf" mini-arc will go on for a couple more chapters, before leading up to something else. If anyone can guess how this story will end out, I'll give you a cookie... heh heh. So other than that, go grab a lemonade, kick back and enjoy!_

* * *

**THE LEAGUE OF CHAMPIONS**

**CHAPTER 12: SETTING DIFFERENCES ASIDE! GABITE AND LAIRON'S TRUCE**

The time was drifting past as slow as could be. I could tell that none of my friends knew how to rectify this situation and neither did I. How on earth we were still alive I did not know. The amount of air that the four of us had left to breathe was running thin. I had begun to inhale a lot more heavily than before. Even though time was running out, none of us had any idea of how we could get out of this. Casey had suggested earlier that we could use our Pokemon to clear a route, but there was still the chance of causing another cave in. And of course we had tried moving the rubble aside ourselves, but the sheer bulk of the debris was too much for even our combined efforts. I was genuinely frightened. So much in fact that I was beginning to lose hope. Misty had slumped against one of the rocks that impeded our path. Brock had also sat down, but up against the side of the cavern. Casey had curled up in the corner and had gone to sleep, still breathing as deeply as the rest of us. I was pacing back and forth, shuddering due to the cold. I did not want to sit down. The cave floor was dank and looked horrible to sit on. Brock had begun reading a manual of some sort. I glanced over his shoulder to read what it was. It was all to do with Pokemon habitats. Particularly, I noticed his finger scrolling down a paragraph describing caves. Obviously, he was reading to see what kind of threats we may face. He looked up at me, shaking his head in dismay.

"This isn't good," Brock weakly sighed. "Cave dwelling Pokemon don't like being disturbed by humans and often react aggressively to anyone who should come across them." He lowered his head to read the words of his book once more. "Explains why that Electrode blew itself up," he muttered in addition.

"Does it say of what kind of Pokemon live in caves?" I asked.

"Mainly Rock and Ground type Pokemon," Brock explained. "Although some Poison and Grass Pokemon can survive here too, not to mention certain Fighting Types."

"I've just had an idea," I exclaimed suddenly. "My Gabite is part Ground Type and Lairon is part Rock Type. They have the best chance of getting us all out of here alive."

"But Jonathyn, they can't stand each other!" Misty moaned. "Their arguing alone could cause another cave in."

"Don't be silly," I retorted. "What other choice do we have? We don't have the strength that the Pokemon have. And besides, they will be fine." I placed my right hand on the Poke Balls containing my two desires Pokemon. With a little reluctance, I summoned them. Casey shot upright as my Lairon suddenly appeared in front of her, scaring her. She was about to scream, but managed to hold it back, barely. Lairon huffed and turned to face my Gabite, who had formed a couple of feet away. Immediately upon noticing one another, they snarled viciously at each other. I quickly stepped in to intervene in their feud. "Stop it, you two," I ordered. "This isn't the time to fight. We need your help and we need you to work together. As a team. Can you do that for us?" I looked at Gabite, who was angrily scowling at his rival. I then turned to Lairon, who had the same expression on his face. Swallowing their pride, they both nodded at me, albeit whilst still staring at each other intensely. "Thank you," I half-heartedly smiled. "Now, if you could carefully bore through the rubble then we can get out of here. But we haven't got long. I'll try and help as well," I approached the rubble which had cut off our pathway, with my Lairon and Gabite at either side. "Let's do it," I began to grab as many of the smaller boulders and rocks as I could, disposing of them behind us. Brock had haled Casey back up to her feet, as Misty also watched on. It was delicate, yet hard work. We tried to be as careful as possible in order not to cause another collapse.

"Can we help at all?" Casey asked, stretching her arms to the side.

"I know who might be able to help you out a little," Brock smiled, throwing a Poke Ball to the ground. From it emerged his Sudowoodo, which smiled and gave an odd salute to its trainer. "Sudowoodo, could you help out Jonathyn and his Pokemon?" The strange, tree-shaped Pokemon once again obeyed after saluting Brock. It came to our side and began digging through the rock as well. Gabite was using its elbow-fins to drag large rocks away. I found myself more useful moving the other boulders back, whilst Lairon seemed to break every boulder it came across into tiny pieces either by headbutting them or slashing them with Metal Claw. The Sudowoodo appeared to using a weak version of Brick Break, which was making the work a lot lighter. I beckoned for Lairon to be a little less vigorous with its moves. It apologetically continued by using a weaker Metal Claw.

"You're doing great, Gabite & Lairon," I encouraged. "You too, Sudowoodo." All three Pokemon smiled at me in their own ways.

"We're definitely making progress," Brock smiled. "I think we're almost there."

"I hope so," Misty shuddered. "It's freezing in here."

"You said it," Casey nodded in agreement. "But if we can find that Azelf, it will definitely be worth it."

"That's true," Misty concurred. I walked past Misty again, piling another series of small boulders in the area that we had just been. I turned around, but Lairon had vanished.

"Uhh… Lairon?" I asked, confused as to where my Pokemon had gone. I then noticed that a small light was shining through a gap in one of the rocks. "Gabite, get rid of those last few rocks." It obliged with great haste. Along with a mighty Brick Break from Sudowoodo, Gabite used a Dragon Claw to get rid of the rocks that had caused us so much trouble. Lairon had somehow burrowed through into the next chamber. A gleaming white light blinded all of us. I tried to see what it was that was causing the Flash, but it was impossible. The light soon faded and the cave was in complete darkness, with the exception of a strange aura surrounding two objects floating in mid-air. One of them was circular, like a vertical disc with several spiky formations protruding from it. The second was a crescent shape, almost like half a moon. The two Pokemon continued to hover rather ominously a few feet from us.

"Wh-what are those things!?" Casey shrieked, almost certainly frightened.

"Lunatone and Solrock," Brock replied, amazed at the sight of these two cosmic Pokemon. "They're both Psychic & Rock Type Pokemon. Extremely rare in the wild. This cave is the perfect home for them."

"Psychic Rocks, huh?" I smirked. "That's pretty cool." I took a step forward, but was immediately thrown back into the pile of boulders that we had just cleared. Lairon and Gabite were also affected by the unusual force. The auras of the Solrock and Lunatone had now expanded, shining all the colours of the rainbow. "Psychic…" I muttered, shaking the cobwebs from that attack.

"Jonathyn, are you OK?" Misty called to me.

"I've never been better," I sarcastically replied, getting back up to my feet. "What do you two say we teach those two a lesson?" I grinned at my Pokemon. Lairon and Gabite both looked at each other and turned away. "Oh, come on!" I staggered in disbelief. "You both worked together really hard to get us out of that cave in earlier and you still can't get along now?" It was as if my words were falling on totally deaf ears. Both my Pokemon just could not stop staring each other down. I was fortunate enough that a fight had never broken out in these confrontations. They like to express their power by strength contests. I noticed even when we were digging through the rubble, they could not stop staring at each other. That might be why Lairon was using such force when trying to break through the rubble. But who knows? Before I was able to contemplate any longer, I felt another surge of supernatural energy pound me into the boulders. Misty shrieked a little bit as my back cracked on impact. Slowly, I pulled myself up. Both Gabite and Lairon ran up to me, concerned for my well being.

"Stop it!" Casey shouted at the two cosmic Pokemon. They showed emotionless expressions on their rock faces. They seemed to turn to face Casey, who reached for a Poke Ball. "Vespiquen, let's get them!" she called, as the giant Queen Bee Pokemon appeared. It's eyes began to glow as it witnessed its two opponents. However, the two Psychic types did not show any sign of intimidation or fear as the abnormally large Vespiquen buzzed upward toward the ceiling of the cave. "I'll fend them off for as long as I can," Casey said to me. "You get Misty and Brock onto the other side of the chamber. I can handle this."

"But it's two on one and Vespiquen is really weak against Rock Type attacks." Brock worriedly called.

"I've got it covered!" Casey huffed. "Attack Order!" Just in the same way that it had done in our match and before then many a time, Vespiquen summoned its six Combee grubs from the honeycomb in its abdomen. All six began launching their attacks on the Lunatone and Solrock with perfect accuracy.

"I'm right beside you," I grinned, pulling myself up from the rocks that I had landed on. "Lairon, use Iron Head. Gabite, use Crunch!" Both my Pokemon nodded and charged forward. Lairon lowered its head as it charged at the two Cosmic Pokemon, as Gabite also ran forward, its fangs at the ready. They pushed themselves off the ground at the same time. But what I hadn't realised up until this point was that both of them were going for the Lunatone, which had levitated to the top of the chamber. Lairon slammed into Gabite, its steel skull smashing against the dragon. Gabite fell down to the ground, but was not defeated. It got back up to its feet and roared at Lairon. In turn, the Steel Pokemon retaliated with a long and loud bellowing growl as well. Both of them glared at each other, not aware that the Solrock and Lunatone had now focused their attention primarily on the vulnerable Vespiquen. "That's enough!" I called to them both. "Lairon, use Iron Head." It looked at me, before gaining a small gleam in its eye. It began charging, positioning itself for the Iron Head attack, but slammed itself yet again into Gabite! Gabite was sent flying backwards, smashing into the cave wall with such force that more rocks began to fall from the ceiling, although nowhere near as bad as when the Electrode exploded before. All four of us were in shock. Brock more so than anyone.

"I've…never seen two Pokemon who share so much hatred for one another," Brock uttered with disbelief. To be fair to him, I thought pretty much the same thing! I felt a little bit embarrassed by the whole scenario and I knew that I would have to take some form of action in order to sort this out. I watched in almost in horror as Gabite retaliated against its ally with a Dragon Claw, sending Lairon to the ground. I then looked up at Casey's Vespiquen, who was still holding its own. But already it was looking tired, as the Solrock and Lunatone double teamed it with a Double Psychic attack. Vespiquen began to use Heal Order to restore it, when all of a sudden the Lunatone began to glow a pale shade of green, before launching the energy at Vespiquen. It continued to use Heal Order, but yet it did not seem to be doing anything.

"What's wrong, Vespiquen?" Casey called to her newest comrade. "Why can't you heal yourself?"

"That Lunatone just used Heal Block!" Brock explained yet again, his Pokemon knowledge stunning me. "It's a move that prevents a Pokemon from using techniques that restore health. Moves like Heal Order will not work."

"Oh no!" Casey cried. "Vespiquen, return!" she called her Giant Bee Pokemon back into its Poke Ball. "You were incredible. Take a good rest," she smiled, before turning back to the Solrock and Lunatone. "So what do we do now?"

"I'll deal with this," I replied walking straight past Gabite and Lairon, who stopped their argument for a moment to see what I was about to do. I chuckled to myself as I stopped just a few yards away from the Solrock and Lunatone. "Listen to me," I sneered with a tone similar to when I confronted Casey's Vespiquen before the Azelf had appeared before. "We mean no harm. All we want is to thank Azelf for helping us earlier on. Please let us pass." The Lunatone gave a strange look toward the Solrock, before lowering itself down right in front of my face. I stared at it without fear, as it seemed to nod at the Solrock. I then came over a little faint. I staggered back, my head started to ache, pulsing heavily. I clutched my head, almost wanting to scream due to the agony.

"What are you doing to him?" Misty cried out once again, running over to where I had now stumbled due to the pain. As soon as she grabbed my arm, the pain went away. The Solrock floated down to the same level as the Lunatone.

"Lu--na," the Lunatone hummed as it waved in the direction of my Gabite and Lairon, who looked deeply concerned for me yet staying a small distance away.

"So--l Ro--ck!" it's companion added, also making gestures toward my Lairon and Gabite.

"What happened?" Misty shuddered, looking at me with grave concern.

"I don't quite know," I replied, still a little bit dazed from my short ordeal. "I could hear voices. They were saying "Fight." I guess from the way that they are acting, they want to battle Gabite and Lairon."

"Gab, Gabite!" the shark-like Dragon snarled, staring at the two galactic Pokemon before twisting its neck to glance at Lairon.

"Lair--," it grumbled, looking back up at the floating Solrock and Lunatone.

"You two need to put your differences aside," I smiled kindly as Misty helped me back up to my feet. "If we can defeat Lunatone and Solrock, we might have a chance of seeing Azelf again. Think you two can handle this?" They both looked at each other, still looking rather frustrated with one another. "If not, I can always have Bayleef, Pelipper or Houndoom battle them?" They suddenly shook their heads, as if begging me not to switch them. They turned and faced their opponents.

"How did you do that?" Misty raised an eyebrow at me.

"I know how much these two love to battle, even if they do have a rivalry," I answered with a grin. "But this won't be an easy battle. Both Solrock and Lunatone have levitating abilities. So Gabite's Ground attacks are not going to work out so well this time. And Lairon isn't exactly the most aerial Pokemon you've ever seen. But I know how to take them down," I grinned. "The honour is yours, Solrock and Lunatone. Make the first move." They both nodded and began to launch some form of psychic attack. Gabite and Lairon were both flung backwards towards the cave wall, but both of them dug their claws into the ground, skidding to a halt. The one thing that I love about battling wild Pokemon is that the opponents act on impulse, not on direction. There was no trainer to order them what to do, so they could use whatever attacks suited them. Whether or not this was an advantage to wild Pokemon I'm not sure, as the trainer would have a second mind and could devise other forms of attack that perhaps they would never have thought of on their own. "If I take one of them down early, the other won't stand a chance with two on one. "Gabite, Crunch on Solrock!" I instructed. Gabite quickly jumped up at the Solrock, using its fangs to cruelly crunch down on it. It appeared to take a heavy amount of damage from the Dark attack. "Lairon, follow up with Iron Head on Solrock!" I figured that two super effective moves would be more than enough to make these two think twice about facing us. Lairon did indeed begin charging at Solrock, but I did not notice the Lunatone had appeared directly behind the Solrock as it fired what looked like an Ice Beam directly towards Gabite! "Get away, Gabite," I gasped, as the beam of sheer coldness approached closer. It released its grip on the Solrock and dropped to the ground. The Ice Beam missed by just inches, instead creating an icy structure on the cave wall as it landed. In the meantime, Lairon smashed into the Solrock with brutal force, sending it upward into the cave ceiling. All of us cowered a little, expecting another cave in, but nothing happened this time. Lairon dropped back down also, landing next to Gabite.

"It's difficult to decide what sort of strategy to use in Double Battles like this," I heard Brock say to Casey.

"So what strategy is Jonathyn using?" Casey asked, still watching as the Solrock lowered itself back down from the ceiling.

"He's focusing on one opponent, which is good for taking out one opponent quickly. But on the other hand, where they are attacking just one opponent, the second could surprise it with attacks of its own." Brock explained more facts. "But to be honest, Solrock and Lunatone have already taken damage from your Vespiquen. I don't think this will take very long," he smiled. Misty had also stepped back next to Brock and Casey, leaving me to deal with the two barricading Pokemon. As the Solrock descended, it fired a Flamethrower attack from the air heading straight for my Lairon. It managed to engulf it in flames. I was a little stunned that Lairon managed to withstand the heat, although I then remembered that due its it's Rock Type qualities it was able to endure it even though it was partly Steel Type as well. Lairon shook off the flames, but was then struck again by another Ice Beam from the Lunatone. But it even withstood that attack. I was rather impressed by this.

"You alright, Lairon?" I called to it. It grinned in acknowledgement. "Good. Then use Metal Burst on Solrock. Gabite, hold off Lunatone with a Crunch!" Both Pokemon sprang into action, as Lunatone darted towards Lairon to prevent it from landing the attack. However, Gabite intercepted it, clamping its jaws around Lunatone just as it had done with Solrock. Metal Burst hit its mark, knocking Solrock to the ground. It had a dazed look in its eyes, defeated by the powerful attack.

"That's one down and one to go!" Misty squealed happily, as Solrock weakly retreated to the side of the chamber. Now it was just Lunatone against both Gabite and Lairon… until…

"Enough," a voice came from the depths of the cave. A female figure walked into the chamber. I recognised her from somewhere, but I had no idea as to where. The girl was rather tall, possibly in her early twenties. She wore a long, black jacket and had long, blond hair that curled out to the side in spikes. Although the rest of her hair was perfectly straight. Her hair was so long in fact that it covered half of her face. She came into full view, as the Lunatone stared at her. It seemed to bow, before retreating with the Solrock further into the cave. She did not take her eyes off them until they had disappeared from sight. She then flicked her hair out of her face and smiled at us. "Those two Pokemon…" she chuckled. "They pester me every time I come here."

"Wait, you've been here before?" I asked. "Who are you?"

"I should be asking that to you," the mysterious woman replied. "And what is your business here? This cave is sacred to the legends of Sinnoh."

"Legends of Sinnoh?" I scratched my head with a puzzled look. "But this is Kanto."

"So?" she sarcastically responded. "It is still a part of the world in which we live. As is Sinnoh. Where we are divided by the regions, we are united by this world."

"You talk strange," I clasped my hands behind the back of my head, as Gabite and Lairon walked up to my side. "Thank you for your hard work, you two," I complimented my Pokemon. Both of which growled in an appreciative manner. "So, what is with this Legend of Sinnoh?" I turned back to the girl, who had now walked right up to me.

"The Pokemon that you seek is Azelf, one of the offspring of the creators of the world," the woman spoke with a vague voice.

"You mean Dialga and Palkia," Brock suddenly blurted out, staring at her with hearts in his eyes.

"Why, yes," the woman replied, a little surprised. "Haven't I met you somewhere before?" she asked.

"That's right, my darling!" Brock ran up, clasping her hands romantically. "Back in Amity Square, where you captured my heart. And now, we will be able to be together in harmony. Without interruption…" Brock's Croagunk suddenly appeared from nowhere and delivered a trademark Poison Jab to its trainer, before dragging him out of the way once again.

"I wouldn't even have gone that far," Misty muttered to herself, before looking back at the other female trainer once again. "So why are you here?" she asked.

"To see what sort of Pokemon come here," the woman replied. "I know for a fact that Azelf comes here. Some also say that Groudon, the Pokemon believed to have formed the land slumbers in a chamber deep beneath the surface of the earth. This cave is believed to be the only way of getting to Groudon's Chamber.

"Wow," I exclaimed. "Groudon and Azelf both here. I wonder whether or not there are any other rare or legendary Pokemon that come here."

"The very first time I came here, I captured such a creature," she replied, grabbing a Poke Ball. She threw it forward and from it emerged an incredibly strange Pokemon. A large rock had appeared on the floor, but seeping from cracks in it came a swirling purple vortex. It began to laugh, maniacally. "No-one has ever seen a wild one of these outside of Sinnoh," the girl smiled. "But this Spiritomb was right in this cave. I was only young when I first came here, but since then Spiritomb has become one of my most trusted partners." She smiled, as she withdrew her Pokemon, which was just as well. It had begun to creep me out more than most other things would.

"What I don't get is how come that Solrock and Lunatone just randomly attacked us," I sighed. "We weren't doing any harm."

"They were probably protective Azelf," the woman replied. "Azelf is sacred. It can't be allowed to face anything that might harm it. The same goes for Groudon."

"Then how come you're able to walk through the cave as you please?" Casey retorted. The woman shook her head, almost impatiently.

"I've been coming here for years," she answered in a serious tone. "The Pokemon around here know that I mean no harm."

"Just who are you, anyway?" I suddenly asked out of the blue once again. "I know I've seen you before, but I can't remember where…"

"I've entered the Pokemon League at the Indigo Plateau," she replied. "It will be the first time I have challenged the Kanto Pokemon League. I've already achieved greatness in Sinnoh, Hoenn and Johto and defeated the Elite Four several times..."

"You mean you're…" I gasped, stunned by what she was saying.

"The Pokemon League Champion," she smiled with a crafty look. "My name is Cynthia…"

**TO BE CONTINUED**

_**Next Time:** Cynthia joins Jonathyn, Misty, Brock and Casey as they search for Azelf. However, they soon find that they are not the only ones exploring this cave. Who will they meet? Is it a friend, or a foe?_


	13. Chapter 13

_Disclaimer: As you've been made well aware in the last twelve Chapters, I do not own Pokemon... and the same applies for this chapter._

_MESSAGE TO READERS: Haven't had much time off the last couple of days, so I haven't been able to update as quickly as I would like. More complications coming up in this chapter. So I hope you're paying attention. So grab a lemonade or something, kick back and enjoy!_

**THE LEAGUE OF CHAMPIONS**

**CHAPTER 13: TRESPASSER IN SACRED GROUND! FIGHT TO SAVE AZELF!**

It had only seemed to be minutes since our paths had crossed, yet in the real world time had dramatically moved forward. We had been walking throughout this cave for almost an hour, which staggered me when I saw it on my Poketch. Cynthia had been telling us all about her past adventures, having conquered not only the Pokemon League in her homeland of Sinnoh, but also in Hoenn and my own land of Johto. She was also informing us of the legendary Pokemon that she had witnessed. Brock, who had now recovered from the Poison Jab his Croagunk hit him with, was also talking about various legendary Pokemon that he had encountered over the years that he had been travelling. But once again there was a name that kept on popping up time and time again… Ash… Misty had told me about him before we came out on this sub-quest. How she had such strong feelings for him and whatnot. Yet from what I was hearing, Brock had travelled with Ash all over the world. Casey had met him a couple of times as well and even the elite Cynthia had met him. Who was this guy? Was he an elite trainer like Cynthia was? He must be one heck of a trainer, but as a person I wasn't so sure. But if Misty's predictions were correct, then his personality would be almost identical to my own. A thought that I did not really approve of, since I always considered myself to have a unique personality. Not trying to seem boastful about myself, I kept my thoughts inside. It looked as though we had now reached the very innards of this dungeon. There was a very strange sound coming from nearby. I could not even begin to figure out what it was, but I noticed that everyone else in the group had stopped to listen to the sound as well.

"What do you suppose that is?" Casey asked, as the echo of a playful squeal bounced down the corridor of the cave. "Could it be the Azelf?"

"It could well be," Cynthia nodded. "I've never heard an Azelf's cry before, but if it is anything like its brethren then that could well be it."

"Brethren?" I pondered. "You mean Uxie and Mesprit?"

"That's right," Cynthia smiled. "All three of those Pokemon are believed to be mirages. Although I know that isn't the case."

"So do we," I added in response, remembering the moment when Azelf appeared in front of me, saving us all from Casey's Vespiquen's rampage. Using its incredible psychic powers, it somehow made it much more docile and thus resolved the problem. "The only reason we wanted to find Azelf again is so we could thank it for saving us," I explained. Cynthia looked up towards the ceiling of the cave and smiled.

"What an honourable thing to do," she approvingly nodded to our cause. "You are all true Pokemon Trainers. You do not see Pokemon as tools. You see them as allies, as partners and as friends. Humans and Pokemon share this world. And one good turn deserves another." She stopped suddenly as we could now hear a different sound. Not so much the playful squeak we heard before, but a more panicked one. There was only a couple at first, but then there were several. "I don't like the sounds of this," Cynthia frowned. "I know the way, follow me," she said as she began to run down the passageway. She had armed herself with a Poke Ball. I decided to do the same as all four of us followed the Champion along a sinuous route. We almost lost her due to the sharp bends in the cave, but fortunately there were no other routes she could have taken. When we finally caught up to her, we had arrived in yet another chamber, but this was much larger than the ones that we had already been in. This particular part of the cave seemed more like a void. A giant room of emptiness that went on as far as the eye could see. Strangely though, there were torches lit on the side of the wall. I looked up at Cynthia, who was examining the area. "Welcome to Azelf's Shrine," she murmured quietly. "This is where they say Azelf usually resides. Some believe that the torches are kept alight by Azelf's presence. If it were to vanish, the flames would die. But when it returned, they would light up again straight away. If the myth is true, then Azelf must be close by."

"Cool," I whispered, staring around the giant room. I could see something flickering a short distance away. At first, I thought it was another torch. However, I had second thoughts when the flicker turned into a blinding light that had spread throughout most of the chamber. Although we all looked away from the light, I could sense something was not right. I looked back up as the light faded. I could see something flying towards us at a rapid speed. In fact, I could see two things! The object in front was a lot smaller than the one following it. It weaves back and forth across the chamber, as if trying to shake off whatever it was behind it. Something was chasing it! "That's got to be Azelf!" I gasped, delighted that we had found the illusive little creature but still concerned at the fact that it appeared to be in some sort of trouble. "What's that following it?" I asked, trying to figure out what exactly was following it. It was a bizaare circular shaped creature with four wings, flapping in synch to keep it airborne. It was extremely agile, flying through the air as swiftly as could be. "What the heck is that?" I asked again, still unsure what it was.

"That's a Crobat," Brock replied. "I have a Crobat back at home. They're excellent aerial hunters, one of the fastest flying known Pokemon in the world. Not quite as fast as a Salamence at top speed, but not far off.

"But aren't Crobat Poison Types?" I suddenly remembered. "And if Azelf is a Psychic, then it should be able to take it down no problem. I mean it stopped Casey's Vespiquen.

"Azelf is not really a Pokemon that likes to fight," Cynthia responded. "Although its powers truly are amazing, it does not like to use them." She continued to watch, as the Crobat traced Azelf's movements with ease. It was catching up with it fast, until I saw another Pokemon come into the fray… this time it was a large bird of some description. It appeared to be completely black, with the exception of a few tufts of white on its chest. The crest on its head seemed to resemble a kind of hat. It flew through the air, tackling the Crobat from behind. "That's a Honchkrow," Cynthia realised. "I wonder who it belongs to."

"What makes you say that?" I asked. "It could be a wild one."

"Honchkrow don't usually nest in caves. And if for some reason one would nest in a cave, it certainly wouldn't nest this far down. Not without Murkrow underlings, which I don't see anywhere."

"Sheesh," I whined. "I was just asking."

"On the other hand, that Crobat could be wild. Although in my experience, Golbat only evolve into Crobat after gaining a lot of respect for it's trainer. So someone must have raised it in order for it to evolve," She added, seeming a little confused now herself.

"So why's the Honchkrow attacking the Crobat?" Misty asked.

"In order to find the answers, we must find those that are in question," Cynthia mystically replied. I looked at Casey with a bit of a stupid grin on my face, as Cynthia walked forward, towards the melee.

"She's weird," I muttered to Casey. She giggled with a snort, although luckily for us I don't think Cynthia heard us. Misty and Brock simply shook their heads at us, disapprovingly. We soon fell silent. The Azelf appeared right in front of us and hid behind Cynthia.

"Don't worry, little friend," she kindly whispered. "We'll get these troublemakers out of here for you. You can trust us."

"Ze--lf?" it squealed nervously, looking back to where the four of us were standing. We looked at it in amazement. Such a wonderful creature it was. It seemed to make all the pain that I had still lingering at the back of my mind from the events of the last couple of days completely fade away. It smiled back at us, seemingly staring into my soul for some reason. I felt a strange twinge in my mind. I then noticed once more the way Azelf was staring at me. I soon came to the conclusion that it was reading my thoughts. Surely it must be a little unsure of humans coming into its sacred grounds. There was a sudden crash that made all of us jump out of our skins, as the Honchkrow was knocked out of the air by Crobat, who had just used what looked like Air Slash.

"Azelf," came a voice that did not belong to the legendary Pokemon. It did not seem to be addressing anyone in particular. Not until the Crobat began to fly directly at Cynthia. It flew at such a speed that it began to glow with a spiralling orange energy. With incredible force, it slammed with all its might into Cynthia. She was knocked straight off her feet and hurled back well over a hundred yards, before crashing to a stop. She wailed in pain as the attack hit. Azelf immediately flew over to her, but before it could do anything the Crobat was right back on its tail. Misty and Casey were the first ones to get to her side, followed by Brock and myself. It took a moment to recover from the Giga Impact, before flying off once again.

"Cynthia, are you alright?" Brock gasped, genuinely concerned for the beautiful Champion.

"Ugh…" she moaned weakly. "That…really hurt," she winced. She had been cut pretty badly and a large bruise had appeared on the side of her face. Her long black jacket had been torn. The scene did not look dissimilar from when we found Casey after her Vespiquen attacked her. Although the attack we witnessed seemed to be bone-shattering. She picked herself up, holding onto her ribs. She continued to wince with every single movement.

"It looks as though you've broken a couple of ribs," Brock exclaimed. "That Crobat is going to pay!" he snarled, throwing two Poke Balls forward. Once again, his Sudowoodo and Croagunk appeared in front of him. His Sudowoodo gave him a traditional salute. "So and stop that Crobat," he growled, pointing to the Bat Pokemon still in hot pursuit of Azelf. Croagunk and Sudowoodo rushed into the thick of the battle.

"Shadow Ball, Honchkrow," came a second voice. This one was not as blunt as the first one we had heard, but it still seemed rather stern. Immediately, the Honchkrow fired a Shadow Ball. One at Sudowoodo, another at Croagunk. They both dodged the attacks.

"What on earth is going on here?" I asked, my head now spinning due to the headache this was causing me. "Who's Honchkrow's trainer and who's Crobat's trainer? And if the Honchkrow isn't trying to capture Azelf, why is it attacking Brock's Pokemon."

"Because I don't need some pathetic losers like you getting in my way," the second voice replied. "I can do it on my own." We all looked over to see if we could spot who the trainer was. And indeed we did. The boy from before, with flat, yet spiked purple hair. Paul. That arrogant, disrespectful brat. I shook my fist, angered to see him.

"What are YOU doing here?" I shouted in disbelief.

"If you must know, I was doing a bit of solo training," he replied. "Little did I know that I'd not only stumble upon a legendary Pokemon, but a loser's convention as well." He let out a mocking smirk, particularly at Misty. "Feeling better, are we?" he taunted. Misty said nothing, refusing to rise to the bait.

"Well, look who it is." Cynthia then appeared, clutching her ribs still. "Aren't you the one I met in Amity Square as well? Didn't I beat four of your Pokemon using just one of my own?" Paul suddenly stepped back, in a state of surprise and incredulity.

"You…" he sneered with a hint of tension. "Cynthia... it has certainly been a long time."

"It has," she grinned back. "I'm assuming that your Murkrow evolved into a Honchkrow since our last encounter?"

"How very observant of you," he attempted to mock with an uneasy tone. "But I've also become a lot stronger since then. But that was past and as you can see, we have more important business than talking about defeats."

"Or victories, in my case," she chuckled in attempt to get under Paul's skin. It seemed to be working as he let out a worried frown.

"Look at you," Paul observed. "You can barely stand. That Crobat is more powerful than you think. Possibly as strong as some of your Pokemon."

"Is that a fact?" Cynthia smiled, apparently rising up to the challenge. She still had the Poke Ball that she was holding before in her possession. She attempted to throw it, but the pain she was in was too great. She slumped back, as Misty and I managed to catch her.

"You're in no condition to battle," I sighed. I could tell that Cynthia was in some distress about not being able to provide assistance to our cause. "Casey, why not have your Vespiquen use Heal Order on Cynthia? Or even your Meganium's Aromatherapy might do the trick."

"Or perhaps even both!" Casey smiled, happy that she could help in some way. She quickly called upon her two Pokemon. Vespiquen still looked weary from its last battle with the Lunatone and Solrock not long ago. Meganium however looked as though it was a full health, despite the damage it took during our battle in the Indigo Plateau.

"I'll keep an eye on Cynthia. You help Brock and Paul rescue Azelf," Misty almost whispered in my ear. The thought ran through my mind. Me helping Paul!? How absurd! The very idea made my blood boil, although I knew that I did not really have a choice. I stepped forward, as Brock's Croagunk had taken some heavy damage from Crobat and Honchkrow alike. Sudowoodo seemed to be hanging on in there, but only just! "Brock, have your Pokemon come back. I'll take things from here," I armed myself with my chosen Pokemon as Brock looked over to me.

"Alright," he agreed. "I'll help take care of Cynthia. Sudowoodo, Croagunk, Return!" he called, as he withdrew his two battling comrades into their storage compartments. Honchkrow had now turned its attention back to the anonymous Crobat, who was still in pursuit of Azelf. How both of these Pokemon had not yet tired out was beyond my understanding. I decided against using Gabite or Lairon, since they had already taken some damage from their earlier battle. I decided to go with my trump card… the one Pokemon that I had not used since I arrived at the Pokemon League Tournament.

"Let's go," I called, throwing the Poke Ball forward. From it emerged a quadruped creature, with pink and purple blotches covering most of its skin. It looked like a small elephant, although with a long sharp horn similar to that of a rhinoceros. It's front teeth draped over its lips, as it scraped its claw along the ground. Paul looked down at my newest selection, showing abhorrence.

"Is that the best Pokemon you've got?" he sneered sarcastically. "That thing can't beat a Crobat! It could barely beat one of those Rattata on Route 101 you were talking about." I frowned at him, as did my Pokemon. It growled with the same sort of tone as I did.

"He might not look like much, but this Pokemon managed to defeat the Vermillion City Gym Leader's Pokemon on its own," I retaliated. My Pokemon posed, proudly. Paul simply let out another cynical smirk.

"If you want to become a strong trainer, you should evolve it," he insisted. "That's the only way you'll ever get any real power from that thing."

"Do--ri," my Pokemon snarled angrily.

"If I wanted to evolve it into a Nidoking, then I would," I replied to his comment. "But my Nidorino is just as strong as any Nidoking would be. It's at a high level, since it was the first Pokemon I ever caught. It has travelled me throughout all the regions."

"Quit making excuses and fight, if you're going to," Paul demanded, turning back up to his Honchkrow. "Use Sky Attack," he ordered. Honchkrow instantly ascended to the very top of the chamber with several mighty flaps of its wings, before divebombing onto the Crobat, knocking it to the floor.

"Nidorino, use Shadow Claw," I grinned. Nidorino charged forward. Its speed took Paul by surprise it seemed, as the attack hit its mark with dead on accuracy. Crobat seemed to be weary, but somehow managed to flap its wings once again, returning to the air. "How is that Crobat still going?" I asked myself. "No matter. Thunderbolt, Nidorino!" Nidorino began to smile, as a small ball of electricity began to charge at the very tip of his horn. It kept the flying Crobat in its sights at all times, before firing the attack.

"Evade," came a voice, the one that had called Azelf's name earlier. The Thunderbolt zoomed towards Crobat, but with a sudden change of direction it managed to dodge the attack. The electric attack was negated as soon as it touched the cave wall. "Zap Cannon," the voice came again.

"Zap Cannon!?" Paul repeated, bewildered by the instruction. "There's no way!" I too seemed a little unsure by this order. A Crobat using Zap Cannon? It's unheard of. I kept my eyes on the Crobat, which had now resumed chasing Azelf, which had sought refuge in a small crack in the cave. Sure enough, a ball of blue lightning energy appeared and struck Honchkrow. But I had noticed that the attack did not come from the direction of which Crobat had been. It came from further down the cave, which I had noticed seemed to be overcome with a thick, black gas of some sort. Paul has recalled Honchkrow back into its Poke Ball, due to the impairment that the electric attack had done to his Flying Type. He frowned a little, getting ready to throw another Poke Ball. "Hold on… where did that Zap Cannon come from?" I asked. "And what's with all that smoke over there?"

"Don't you ever stop asking questions?" Paul snapped. "How should I know? More than likely it's the one after Azelf."

"The Crobat's trainer?" I asked, but quickly nodded to myself since the answer was fairly obvious anyway. I looked over through the smoke. Something has emerged through the cloud and was heading towards us. It looked like some sort of deformed balloon with one large head and a smaller one bulging from one side like a wart. I could see the gas billowing from its body, as it let out a deep groan.

"Whee-hehe-zing!" it coughed as it floated towards us. Paul reached for another Poke Ball, getting ready to throw it.

"Again," called the voice from the smoke. I wondered what he meant at first, until I noticed the Weezing creating a second ball of electricity, firing it towards my Nidorino.

"Don't let that hit you!" I shouted, knowing that it would cause instant paralysis if it landed. Fortunately, the ball dispersed on the ground. Sparks scattered around, not damaging Nidorino.

"Wing Attack," called the voice again. The Crobat then suddenly shot towards Nidorino like a bullet and began slashing at Nidorino with its wings. Nidorino took the onslaught fairly well, before the Crobat flew off in search of Azelf once again, which had now hidden behind another Pokemon that had appeared. The Crobat was suddenly slammed by something, sending it flying backwards almost knocked out. I looked back behind me, as did Paul. His face was a picture, one of almost intense fear. Stood there, with an incredibly intimidating look on its face stood a Pokemon that looked similar to my Gabite, but it was taller and looked a lot more muscular. The fins on its elbows had grown to look more like blades. A star pattern could be seen at the tip of its snout. My eyes widened in awe.

"That must be… a Garchomp," I gawped. "The evolved form of Gabite. I've never seen one in real life before."

"Futile," the voice came once again from the smoke. "Dark Pulse." The Weezing approached the Garchomp, before glowing a dark shade of purple. A shockwave of negative energy blasted the whole area, knocking Paul and I off our feet. Nidorino was also flung a short distance backward, but got to its feet straight away. The Garchomp used its long blade like fins to block the attack, yet it broke through. Azelf, which was still behind it was also hit by the Dark Pulse, causing some damage to it. It yelped out in pain as the super effective move struck it.

"How dare you!" Cynthia boomed as she stepped forward, looking restored. Her ribs no longer seeming to cause her any grief. "You will pay dearly for harming the innocent. Garchomp, use Giga Impact!" I was taken aback at the fact that the Garchomp belonged to Cynthia. But such a strong Pokemon belonging to the Sinnoh Champion made some sense to me. Garchomp leapt upwards, glowing with an orange aura in the same way that the Crobat had done earlier. It rushed towards the Weezing with unbelievable speed.

"Smokescreen," the voice came. The opposing Weezing floated backwards a little releasing more smoke into the air. It disappeared into the cloud, leaving Garchomp a little confused. Regardless, it headed into the cloud and attempted to hit the Poison Gas Pokemon. None of us could see what was going on.

"Nidorino, use a Thunderbolt in the smoke!" I called.

"What!?" I heard Misty exclaim. "What if you hit Garchomp?"

"It's a Ground Type," I shouted back. "Electricity won't hurt it!" As I gave my response, Nidorino had launched its attack. I saw a bright flashing light appear through the smoke. Then there was a loud impacting noise. The Weezing came flying towards us at breakneck speed, but backwards. The two attacks had indeed connected. I had to duck as the Pokemon whisked over my head, narrowly avoiding contact. It slammed into the cave wall. Paul watched on, as if confused as to what he should do. He walked straight past me and approached Cynthia. He murmured something to her that I could not hear.

"Hey, what happened to that Crobat?" I suddenly realised that something was amiss. My answer came as it suddenly darted out through the smoke, now also with an orange glow. The Crobat delivered a powerful Giga Impact to Nidorino. It yelped a little in pain, but quickly got back up to its feet. The Crobat looked incredibly worn out now, but refused to stop flapping its wings. "Why won't Azelf teleport out of here like it did before?"

"Mean Look," the voice replied. My ears pricked up upon hearing this. This time the voice was much more sinister, but less instructive. I began to think. Mean Look is a move used to… stop a Pokemon from fleeing a battle.

"That's why it can't get out of here," I shouted only to myself. "That Crobat must have used Mean Look. As long as it is still in the battle, Azelf can't escape." I turned over to Cynthia, who was still talking to Paul. Misty, Brock and Casey were still watching what was happening. The Azelf flew back over to Garchomp, who had somehow cleared away the Smokescreen. "We need to get rid of that Crobat, then Azelf can escape," I called to Cynthia. She then looked at me and nodded. "Nidorino, take Crobat out once and for all with Horn Drill!" It began to grin as the sharp horn on its head began to grow larger and sharper. It charged towards the Crobat, which was still struggling to get its breath back from the Giga Impact that it had just used. Nidorino jumped up, spinning round with its horn directed straight for Crobat. The attack landed. "Yes!" I shouted with delight, but then stopped when I noticed Crobat was still flying. "What!?" my happiness immediately converting to frustration. "Why didn't that work? That attack landed, Crobat should be KOed."

"One hit knock out moves like Horn Drill won't do any damage if the opponent is of a higher level," Paul tutted. "You claim that your Nidorino is of a high level? That Crobat is an even higher level. So you really are in trouble now." I could sense his smugness in his words. I almost lost it there and then, but I maintained my focus on the matter at hand.

"We'll just have to try something else. Thunderbolt, Nidorino!" It began charging electricity, but was struck from behind by a different bolt of electricity. The Weezing had launched another Zap Cannon, striking Nidorino. Small sparks began to scatter across Nidorino's body. "This is bad. It's paralysed now!" I scowled. This battle was going downhill from here.

"Poke Ball, go!" I heard Paul shout, as he threw a Poke Ball forward. It hit the Azelf in the chest, as the ball opened and sucked it inside! I stood there in complete disbelief. Cynthia was watching Paul intently, whilst Misty, Brock and Casey looked absolutely flabbergasted.

"What the hell are you doing!?" I roared at Paul, running up to him. I quickly withdrew Nidorino at the same time to avoid any more harm coming to it. Paul simply stared at the Poke Ball that he had thrown. It was now twitching, its core flashing a red colour whilst twitching back and forth. There was a deafening silence throughout the whole cavern. The Crobat and the Weezing made a beeline for the Poke Ball, but were quickly knocked aside by Cynthia's Garchomp. Once I looked back at the Poke Ball, it had stopped moving. Paul picked it up in his hand and stared at it.

"I can't believe it," I gasped in distress. "He captured it… Paul just caught the Azelf…"

**TO BE CONTINUED**

_**Next Time**: For what purpose will Azelf serve to Paul? Will Cynthia and Jonathyn do anything to stop him from his intentional plans? And who is this mysterious other trainer? The answers will be revealed in the next chapter!!_

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	14. Chapter 14

_DISCLAIMER: I do not own Pokemon or any of the characters portrayed herein, with the exception of those not seen in any sort of Pokemon game or shown in the anime._

_MESSAGE TO READERS: This will be the last update for about a week or so now as I'm trying to figure out how to make the next few chapters flow. They seem a bit random to me so far and misleading from the actual plot. Perhaps that is a good thing, I don't know. But constructive criticism would be most helpful if you feel I deserve it enough! But other than that, go grab a lemonade or something, kick back and enjoy!_

_**WARNING! **OC-Shipping and Pokeshipping will be heavily featured in the later parts of this chapter. If you are offended by this kind of material, I kindly urge you not to read. Fortunately, it is soft, as there is a certain rating to this story that I am attempting to maintain to. Thank you._

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**THE LEAGUE OF CHAMPIONS**

**CHAPTER 14: PAUL CAUGHT AZELF!? DANGER OF A DIFFERENT KIND!**

"He…he really caught it," Misty stammered in disbelieving captivation. "I can't believe Paul just caught a Legendary Pokemon."

"I've… never seen that happen before," Brock stuttered, equally as shocked and surprised as the rest of us. I simply stood there, speechless. I could not apprehend what had just happened. It was almost as though I was dreaming, yet I would never wake up even if I pinched myself. It had really happened. I stared at Paul, who in turn was gazing sternly, yet wondrously at the spherical orb that he had imprisoned the mystical Azelf within. He had a cocky grin on his face, not taking his eyes off his prize. The whole cave had gone silent. I noticed that the flame torches on the cave walls had begun to fade. Cynthia had told us earlier that the legend says if Azelf were ever to leave, the torches would burn themselves out. The light was fading fast, yet that Crobat and Weezing were still up above us in the air. The last remnants of the Smokescreen had now faded away. I wanted to vent my frustration, but there was so much of it. Combined with the shock, the words simply would not exit my mouth. I grunted a couple of times. Paul's eyes rolled towards me, sensing my rage. He placed the Poke Ball inside his jacket, before pulling out another.

"We still have a battle to finish," Paul shouted into the dimming light. I then looked down the length of the chamber. I could now see someone stood in the midst of the clearing Smokescreen. He was wearing a long black jacket, not dissimilar from Cynthia's. He wore a strange hat with a large, silver feather curling up and over from the top of it. He reminded me of a bard that I once met in Sinnoh called Nando, but he was a very peaceful man. There was something about this trainer that I did not like. Among other features, he had a long black cape that hung down the length of his back and stopped just beneath the stitchline of his boots. His hair was long and jet black, just like his clothes. He also appeared to be holding what looked like a sword in his hand. His whole appearance in general was that of a highwayman of some description.

"Agreed," he lowered his head as he paced forward. "Select," he added randomly. I did not know why this man seemed to speak only in one or two word sentences. It certainly shrouded him in all sorts of mystery. Although his Crobat looked completely drained, it still had a burning desire within it to fight for its trainer. The Weezing hardly looked in tip-top condition, but it seemed to be fairing a lot better than its partner. Cynthia's Garchomp stepped forward along with its trainer. Paul also paced a step closer, beginning to chuckle.

"You know, I've faced some tough opposition in the past," he said to both the anonymous trainer and Cynthia. "But I have become a better trainer due to the mistakes that I have made before. My Pokemon are strong. And to prove it, I'll show you my latest addition to my team." He began to smirk almost uncontrollably. "Let me introduce you," he grinned wildly, throwing his Poke Ball forward. With a huge flash of red light, a colossal Pokemon appeared in front of us. It was unlike most Pokemon, it looked almost mechanical. It stood on four legs that resembled arms, which supported a flat, steel body. It's head seemed to be merged into its torso, only a pair of black and red facing diagonally forward, separated by a large orange cross-like formation across its face. It's whole body was the shiniest shade of silver I had ever seen. "This is my Shiny Metagross. Perhaps just as rare as the Azelf that I've just acquired," he smirked arrogantly. The huge Pokemon stood right next to Cynthia's Garchomp. It was certainly an intimidating combination. I seemed to recall that these two particular Pokemon were known as "pseudo-legendary Pokemon," meaning that they both had similar power and skill as that of Pokemon like Azelf and Groudon. "I'll take both of your Pokemon down without breaking a sweat," Paul taunted to the unknown trainer.

"Smokescreen," the voice seemed to sound a lot more nervous than it had done previously. The Weezing then began to expel smoke from its hollow body, heading directly towards where we were stood. As the cloud of black soot covered us, Misty and Casey immediately began choking. Brock and I covered our mouths with the necks of our shirts to prevent breathing in the fumes. However, Cynthia and Paul both seemed completely unfazed. I could barely depict the outline of Misty in the thick smoke, but I could hear Paul utter an instruction.

"Psychic, Metagross," Paul smirked. I felt the ground shake slightly as Metagross took a step forward, before the smoke began to lift. As the darkness came to light, I could see that the Crobat and Weezing were both screeching and crying out in pain. Crobat was no longer flapping its wings, yet the powerful Psychic attack still managed to keep it floating in mid-air. "Good, now then Cynthia… would you like to finish them?" he turned to face the young Champion.

"Certainly," she grinned with a competitive look. "Dragon Rush, Garchomp." The Weezing and Crobat were still under the effects of Metagross's incredible Psychic attack. As Garchomp surged forward, its whole body began to glow a pale blue whilst it was gaining speed. Exhibiting overwhelming menace, Garchomp tackled both Crobat and Weezing with one swift movement. Both of the Pokemon groaned as the attack hit. And despite a small amount of effort to stay in the battle, they dropped down to the ground in defeat at the same time. Paul and Cynthia both looked at each other with competitively stern looks. Casey's jaw had almost dropped to the ground as though she had never seen such power before. Misty had also moved even further back.

"That was incredible!" Brock gasped. "Metagross's Psychic not only dealt critical damage to both Crobat and Weezing, but it also got rid of Weezing's Smokescreen. Not to mention it was able to hold the Psychic Attack whilst Garchomp used Dragon Rush… it's beyond belief,"

"It's…really strong," I stammered, not taking my eyes away from the two awesome Pokemon. The sheer strength of these two fighting machines was enough to make me tremble. I considered all of my Pokemon supremely strong. Houndoom, Gabite, Pelipper, Lairon, Bayleef, Nidorino… and all the other Pokemon that I had either back at home in Azalea Town or with Professor Elm. But just looking at these two, I could tell that they were in a different league. I was beginning to have a few small doubts about my future in the Indigo Tournament. Just watching Cynthia's Garchomp and Paul's Metagross defeat those two Pokemon with such ease that it made me wonder whether I was up for the challenge. They were both such powerful trainers, almost completely heartless. They showed no emotion but desire when they battled. Paul more so, since I had seen the same expression when he battled Misty. I tried to negate such thoughts, but it just wasn't working. Fortunately though, my train of thought was derailed by the interruption of the anonymous voice.

"Regards," he congratulated darkly to his rivals, returning Weezing and Crobat into their Poke Balls. Finally he walked forward, revealing his full attire once again. What struck me the most was the sword-like weapon that he carried. There were six "slots" down the groove of the blade. It appeared to be a unique Poke Ball release system yet the blade seemed to be used for something much more sinister. "Next time…" he sneered before walking past all of us without so much of a second look. We all looked at each other in confusion, with the exception of Paul.

"Who the heck was that guy?" I asked, staring at him as he faded back into the shadows.

"He's a Pokemon Hunter," Paul replied sternly. "He was after Azelf for a large sum of money from an unknown benefactor. Fortunately for us, we caught him before he managed to get his hands on it."

"Hold on," Casey suddenly butted in. "A Pokemon Hunter? What's that?"

"Uhh… I'm guessing it's someone who hunts Pokemon?" I sarcastically commented. Misty gave me a small cuff behind the head. "What was that for?" I muttered, brushing my hand through my hair rapidly.

"Now's not the time, Jonathyn," Misty sternly told me.

"Sorry, you're right," I nodded, before turning back to face Paul. "So what do you intend to do with the Azelf now, then?" I interrogated with a firm look on my face.

"You must think I'm really shallow, don't you?" he frowned back at me. "Azelf are mythical, and you've seen what it can do. I've heard all about that incident with the Vespiquen," he referred to the moment Azelf saved us last time. "You want to know what I'm going to do, then I'll show you…" he smirked. He threw a second Poke Ball forward but rather than appearing from a red light, this time the light was blue. The Azelf appeared before us yet again, cautiously looking around the chamber.

"Azel, zelf?" it whimpered, still looking around for any threats.

"Don't worry, Azelf," Cynthia smiled. "The hunter has gone. You may do as you please without fear. But be careful, you don't know if he'll come back…"

"Zel--f!" it squealed with relief. Cynthia and Paul returned Garchomp and Metagross respectively. Azelf then began whizzing around the chamber happily and freely like it had done before the Pokemon Hunter had come along. It seemed so carefree all of a sudden. I looked over at Paul and felt a little different about him now than when he left his first impressions with me. He may relish from causing grief to others, or he may not. But his arrogance is what really made me angry with him. But this selfless gesture to release it after capturing it made me gain a level of respect for him.

"Why did you release it?" I asked with a much more softer tone. "You just captured a legendary Pokemon… and now you've nothing to show for it."

"Wrong," Cynthia replied, stepping forward. "Let me explain what happened. Azelf could not escape from the battle due to Crobat using Mean Look. It could not teleport away or even get as far as the end of the chamber. Once the Crobat began to tire a little, the Hunter had the Weezing come out to attack to defend Crobat. Paul knew that the only way to prevent the Hunter from capturing Azelf was to capture it himself. That way, we could release Azelf as soon as the Hunter was out of the way. And it also allowed us to defeat Crobat before it used Mean Look again." I took in the information in leaps and bounds, not paying attention to every little detail. But I got the idea of what had happened.

"Cunning," I replied, not thinking of anything better to say. "I suppose I owe you an apology, Paul," I hung my head.

"Can it!" he snapped. "I didn't come here to save you, I didn't come here to help Azelf. I came here to train for my next battle. And the last thing I need is a petty little distraction like you."

"Say that again!" I taunted, taking an aggressive stance. Misty ran over to my side to try and calm me down. "Say it again, it'll be the last time you do!" I challenged.

"Face it, you claimed that your Nidorino was as strong as any Nidoking. Yet it's Horn Drill failed miserably. You'd be better off battling with a Magikarp," he mocked.

"I'm warning you Paul," I snarled, "Don't try and toy with me."

"Or you'll what?" he snorted in response. He glared at me with an egotistical grin on his face. He knew that he was getting under my skin. "There isn't a single skill you don't have that I haven't exceeded. I've battled all over the world. I've won more tournaments than you've caught Pokemon. Yet you see yourself better than what you really are, just like your girlfriend over there," he pointed at Misty. She frowns…

"He's not…" she stammered, before coming to an abrupt pause as my eyes seemed to dawdle on her. "We're…" she tried to continue, failing. "Ah, what do you know?" she muttered.

"Pathetic," he snorted, turning back to me. "I don't need to waste my time with you. I came here to train and that's what I'm going to do." With that he began to walk back down the tunnel from which we had entered. "So stay out of my way," he sneered as he passed Casey and Brock. I clenched my fist, the respect that I have briefly had for him quickly dispersed.

"How's he going to get out?" Misty suddenly whispered to me. "The route's blocked off from that cave in…"

"Don't fret," Cynthia smiled. "He's resourceful. He'll find a way." She walked forward towards the Azelf. "Now that's you're safe, could you teleport us all out of here?" she asked the pixie-like creature.

"Aze--lf," it nodded cheerfully as it began to concentrate.

"Wait one second," I suddenly interrupted. Both Cynthia and the Azelf looked at me with a puzzled look. "Casey, isn't there something you wanted to do?"

"Oh yeah," she smiled, bounding up to my side whilst gleaming at the Legendary Pokemon. "Azelf, we all wanted to thank you for saving us earlier… you know, from my Vespiquen…"

"Azelf, zelf, azelf," it thanked. Casey seemed very pleased that the Pokemon seemed obliged to help anyway, but recognised the acknowledgment that she in turn had thanked it.

"Yes, if not for you I'd be dead," I nodded, rolling my shoulder which was now fine. It was as though Vespiquen had never dislocated it at all.

"Zelf, zelf," it bowed to Cynthia.

"You're welcome, little friend," she bowed back as Azelf began to concentrate once again. Misty walked up to me and held on to my arm.

"I guess now we can go back to your place?" she murmured in my ear. I looked at her and smiled.

"Yeah… I guess so," I replied, shaking a little through nervous emotion. The next thing I knew the Azelf was glowing a bright white colour just as it had done before. Cynthia did shield her eyes like the rest of us, but Misty buried her head in my arms…

All was quiet for just a few seconds…

When I could finally bear to open my eyes, I found that I had been teleported to my dormitory. I was sat on my bed in the same way that I was right before Casey knocked on the door and gone to find Azelf. I looked at the time, it was just before midnight. Only eighteen hours until my next battle. It seemed like a short amount of time, but I knew that it would seem as though it would be days before it finally happened. I then looked down at my hands. I could see another pair clasping my own… my eyes travelled up the occupant's arms, before looking at her eyes. Misty smiled at me sweetly, gazing at me like she had done before…

"So, I guess there's still some things left unsaid," she sighed softly, still with a small grin on her face.

"Some things are better left that way," I smiled. "Sometimes silence says a lot more than what words can."

"I know…" she blushed slightly. "But there is still something that I need to tell you."

"You don't have to say anything, if you don't want to," I could not take my eyes away from her beauty.

"I want… I mean I think that you… I mean… oh, heck to it!" she stammered before leaning forward and pressing her lips against my own. It felt strange as they touched. I'd never been kissed before. Not without being slapped around the face afterwards. It was strange, yet so relaxing at the same time. I soon got into the flow of how this kissing-malarkey worked. She pulled away for a moment.

"I know what to say now," she whispered passionately. "I love you…"

"Huh?" my eyes widened, having heard the three words.

"I love you, Jonathyn," she repeated. My mouth hung open dumbfounded. I could not say anything. My throat went incredibly dry...

"L-L-L-Love…" I stammered, shaking like a Leafeon. "Uh…I…well, I…" I turned away, turning the brightest shade of red I think that I have ever been.

"What's the matter?" Misty's worried voice sank. "Don't you love me too?"

"It's not that," I shook. "It's just I've… well, I haven't… err…"

"What?" she questioned. "Oh, aren't we a bit young for that?"

"Huh?" I grunted again. "No, not THAT… it's just that I've never really had a girlfriend before, or any sort of relationship for that matter."

"So?" Misty giggled. "Why would that change anything?"

"Because...well… I don't know. I guess I'm just a little bit nervous."

"Why are you nervous?" she giggled once again. "It's not as if I'm going to bite your head off just because I'm the first girl you've kissed."

"You kissed me first," I trembled argumentatively. "Sorry, I guess I'm not very good at this."

"Don't worry," she smiled. "Do you want to do it again?" I looked back up at her and lightly bobbed my head. This time, we both approached each other and locked our lips together. I could tell that Misty was enjoying the kiss, but perhaps I was even more. It was breathtaking. We got a lot closer to each other, beginning to softly rub one another… when suddenly…

KNOCK! KNOCK! KNOCK!

Misty sighed slightly… "It'll only be Casey again," she muttered to me before resuming kissing me once again.

KNOCK! KNOCK! KNOCK! KNOCK!

"Hey Misty… you in there?" came a voice that I did not recognised. She suddenly gasped. I stood up with a huff, slipping my hand out from Misty's.

"Jon, don't answer it!" she whispered.

"Why not?" I shrugged. "It might be important…"

"Well don't tell him I'm here and don't let him in, she quickly tried to hide herself by climbing underneath my bedsheets. I shook my head, smiling at her before walking up to the door and answering. As soon as I opened the door, a small Pokemon ran straight past me and started looking around the place. "What the…" I looked down at the mouse-like Pokemon. I looked up to see a boy. He looked around my age, if not a little younger. He was wearing a hat, along with a black and yellow shirt.

"Oh, I'm sorry," he looked a little embarrassed. "Come on, buddy, she's not in this one," he called to his Pokemon.

"Pika?" it wondered, looking at the bed which Misty had curled herself under.

"Is that a Pikachu?" I asked.

"Yeah," the boy replied. "He's my best friend, right Pikachu?"

"Pikachu, pi," it nodded, whilst jumping onto the bed.

"Come here, Pikachu," the boy called once again. The small yellow mouse looked over to it's trainer, then at the lump in the bed where Misty was hiding before leaping down from the bed. It scuttled towards the door and climbed back up onto the trainer's shoulder. "Sorry about that," he apologised.

"No need to," I grinned. "If you're looking for Misty, she's already been knocked out of the tournament."

"I know," the boy replied. "My friend told me. But he said that she might be staying with someone called Jonathyn."

"That's me," I nodded. "Jonathyn Christian of Azalea Town. Nice to meet you," I extended a welcoming hand. The boy took hold of it and shook it firmly.

"Same to you. My name is Ash Ketchum of Pallet Town…"

"W-What!? Wait, hold on a second," I suddenly stopped the boy, remembering what Misty had said. "YOU'RE Ash?"

"Yeah, what about it?" he asked, sounding a little defensive.

"Oh… sorry, I didn't mean to take that kind of tone," I sighed. "It's just Misty has told me a lot about you. You two are pretty close, huh?"

"You bet!" Ash nodded. "Pikachu and I have just returned from the Sevii Islands and thought we'd stop by to see her. Her sisters in Cerulean City said that she had entered the Pokemon League this year and I came to cheer her on. I guess I'm a little late.

"Oooh… aren't you a little stud?" I heard a camp voice call. Ash turned around and I peered further out of the door.

"Ah! You!" Ash gasped with surprise.

"Nice to see that you recognise me, hun," Harley smirked. "How's my sweet little May been? She been travelling with you again?"

"No, she visited me for a while when I was out in Sinnoh, but I haven't seen her since. I think she's staying with her family for a while," he replied.

"I haven't seen her since the Johto Grand Festival," Harley smirked. "I beat her in the quarter finals. I only lost in the final to Soledad."

"Good for you," Ash frowned, turning back to face me.

"What? So you're turning your back on me now, are you?" Harley snarled. "I guess you'd better go back to your bunk boy, eh?"

"You WHAT!?" I shouted. "That's sick! And besides, I have a girlfriend…"

"That what I mean, you big stud," he taunted again with his perverse mind.

"Get outta here, Harley," Ash frowned.

"Pi--ka," Pikachu growled as it began to charge an electric attack. I could tell this due to the fact that sparks were flying from its cheeks.

"Fine…" he sneered. "But I'll be thinking of ya," he winked as he walked off chuckling to himself.

"He's so weird!" Ash muttered to me.

"I gathered that," I replied sarcastically. "I'm not sure where Misty is right now, but if I see her I'll try and let you know."

"I'd appreciate it," Ash nodded. "Tell her that I'll be staying with Brock for a few nights, could you?"

"No problem," I nodded. "So are you entered in the Pokemon League tournament as well or not?"

"Nah, I've been travelling around the Sevii Islands and the Sinnoh region for a while now, so I'm just trying to work out where to go next. I just thought that since I hadn't seen Misty in such a long time I owed her a visit…"

"Well I'll let her know," I said.

"Thanks," Ash bowed in thanks. "Well, sorry to bother you. I'll see you around."

"Yeah, see you soon," I began to close the door.

"Oh, just one more thing," Ash added, reaching into his pocket. "Could you give her this for me? It's just a little token of our friendship…" he passed me a strange object. It looked like a little bell of some sort. "I won it out in Sinnoh. I thought she might like it." I looked at it intently, before looking back up at Ash.

"Sure," I nodded. "Well, goodnight."

"Yeah, see ya," he smiled, walking off into the Trainer Village. I closed the door behind me before turning back to face Misty, who looked a little upset. I walked over to her and sat down at her side, handing her the bell that Ash had wanted to give to her.

"This is for you," I held the item out in front of me. She took it and faintly smiled.

"A Shell Bell," she whispered, holding it close to her heart. She fell silent for just a few moments. I felt as though it would be a little awkward if I was to interrupt.

"You okay?" I broke the silence after a few more seconds.

"…yeah…" she quietly murmured, before looking up at me. She softly kissed me on the lips one more time. "I think I'm going to get some sleep," she smiled.

"No problem with me," I nodded. "I'll sleep over there if you want…"

"No, no…" Misty smiled. "Push the bed next to this one," she winked. I nodded obligingly. I half-lifted the bed as so it did not scrape across the wooden floor and wake any of the neighbouring residents. I removed my dirty clothes and placed them on a nearby chair. I clambered beneath the covers in only a shirt and my boxer shorts. Misty had taken off the braces holding her skirt up. She wrapped her arms around me, as she laid her head on my arm. We began to kiss for an unknown amount of time before finally falling asleep in each others arms…

**TO BE CONTINUED**

_**Next Time:** With Misty's old flame Ash in the picture, will Jonathyn be able to continue his relationship with her? Also, there is trouble brewing around the village… Pokemon Thieves are in the area!_


	15. Chapter 15

_Disclaimer: I don't own the Pokemon franchise or any of its associates. The majority of the characters in this story belong to Nintendo/GameFreak._

* * *

**THE LEAGUE OF CHAMPIONS**

**CHAPTER 15: ENTER THE DRAGON BREEDER! EVIL TRIO!**

I don't know how I managed to do it, but I had slept right the way through to one o'clock in the afternoon. I had to blink twice when I looked at the clock. What on earth was wrong with me? Usually, I am quite an early bird. But for some reason today I just seemed to sleep right the way through. Possibly where I haven't been getting as much sleep as I normally do, mainly due to my excitement. Either that or the events of yesterday and the day before made me more tired than I actually realised. I glanced over to where Misty was the last time I saw her, but she had gone. It hardly surprised me. Even she wouldn't want to wait around up until this time for me to wake up. I quickly got dressed into the same clothes that I had been wearing since I arrived. It was foolish of me not to pack an extra shirt and trousers before heading here after visiting my family again... As soon as I had won the Earth Badge from the Viridian Gym, I had taken some time out to do some training back home in Azalea Town, as well as to catch up with my family… my mother, who worked in Goldenrod City, was very rarely home as she hated walking through the Ilex Forest by herself. Sometimes, my dad would go with her. But he worked in Violet City, so they were very rarely at home. I would often call them though. Sometimes, Bugsy would call. The Azalea Town Gym Leader and a total freak when it comes to bug type Pokemon. Although he is my best friend. I suppose really I shouldn't talk that way about him, since he's certainly a powerful trainer. He developed a move for Pokemon all by himself. Fury Cutter, the move's called. He even owns a Scyther that knows how to deflect Fire Type attacks, which are otherwise match-deciding moves against bugs! I looked up at the time once again. Had I really been reminiscing for fifteen minutes now!? I quickly headed for the door, grabbing my six Poke Balls with me.

"What's my agenda today?" I asked myself, thinking aloud. "I need to decide which two Pokemon to use against that Dar-ken guy…Dar-KHAN…" I chuckled to myself. "Dar-KHAN… what kind of stupid name is that anyway?" I continued to laugh to myself even as I opened the door. There was no-one that I recognised as I left the building. The sun was shining brightly in the sky. Truly as a glorious day, as I took in a deep breath, before stretching my arms out to the side and letting out a long yawn. I felt like going back to sleep, but I thought I'd better not. "What am I going to do first?" I thought to myself. "No point trying to find Misty. It's like trying to find a needle in a haystack around here. I suppose I might as well go and train." I nodded to myself and began walking along the path leading towards the forest, but instead of walking into the forest via the path, I started to walk in the tall grass where Pokemon usually hide. Most of the Pokemon outside of the forest was mainly first stage Pokemon, such as Pidgey, Sentret and Rattata. However, I sometimes came across their evolutions like Pidgeotto and Furret. For some reason, all the Pokemon that I came across ran away from me rather than try and battle. I'm guessing that most trainers come through these grassy patches and defeat them with ease, which is why they tend to steer clear. The main reason I decided to head out this way was the fact that even though it was quieter and out of the way, there would still be the odd trainer who wouldn't mind sparring before a match. I looked around and spotted no-one of particular interested. There were a couple of people already battling, a youngster no older that five was attempting to catch a Wurmple in its net, but was failing rather miserably. I soon made it out of the grass and found myself in a large clearing, where several Pokemon trainers had congregated to train. There were trainers of all shapes and sizes, along with their Pokemon. Even in the sky, trainers were flying on their Pokemon. A Flygon swooped down, just missing my head. I cursed slightly, but quiet enough for her not to hear. Or so I thought… the Flygon re-appeared and landed in front of me. It's trainer, a female in her late teens, jumped from its back in front of me. She had sweeping black hair that hung down half the length of her back, not quite as long as Cynthia's hair. But it also had blue streaks running down it. It also seemed to curve away from her a little. She was wearing a green top that almost identically matched the colour of the Flygon's skin. She wore a pair of worn out jeans with holes and graze marks covering a large portion of them. She seemed to glare at me, almost in a trance.

"You had your second round match already, didn't you?" she asked.

"Uhh… yeah," I replied with a confused look on my face. "Why do you ask?"

"And you own a Gabite?" she added.

"Yeah… I own a Gabite," I answered her again.

"Good. I was hoping to run into you," she slyly grinned. "You're Jonathyn, right?"

"Depends on who is asking," I folded my arms, a little bit concerned by this girl's approach towards me.

"I know who you are. It was a rhetorical question. My name is Sandra, and I am aiming to become the greatest Dragon Pokemon Breeder in the world."

"So you're into Dragons, huh?" I muttered, trying to put on an unimpressed look. "Figures why you asked about my Gabite at least."

"Yes. I was wondering whether you would consider trading it to me…"

"What!?" I suddenly blurted out. "Trade Gabite? No chance! He's one of my closest Pokemon."

"Hmph. Please," Sandra snorted. "What makes you think that your Gabite is strong? A trainer like you do not understand the needs of a Dragon Pokemon. If you trade it to me, I can help it reach its full potential. Something it would never achieve with you."

"Excuse me," I shouted with both surprise and anger. "My Gabite is perfectly capable of anything. Did you not see it beat Casey's Vespiquen and Rapidash in the match?"

"As I recall, both Pokemon were weakened beforehand. It wouldn't have won if not for the fact you had to swap Pokemon mid-battle. Only novice trainers do that nowadays."

"Look," I growled. "I won't lecture you on how to battle, so don't lecture me. Understand?" I began to walk away. But Sandra pulled out a Poke Ball and tossed it forward. From it emerged…a Gabite. It looked near enough identical to the one that I owed, except that its dorsal fin was sleek and smooth. I knew that this meant it was a female Gabite since mine had a small chip in his, implying that it was male. "Hang on, why do you want me to trade you my Gabite if you already have one of your own?"

"Are you that dense?" she smirked. "To breed them of course. Don't you know that Pokemon that are bred from two separate Pokemon grow up to be stronger than the parents? My Gabite was bred from another of its kind, along with a Dragonair. Now it knows a move that it wouldn't normally know by simply levelling up. I've even tutored mine to use the most powerful Dragon Type attack there is."

"Well, that's nice and all," I shrugged. But I'm not going to change my mind."

"In that case, how about we have a little battle to decide which Gabite is best." Sandra smirked, as her Gabite took her side, toothily smiling with anticipation.

"I'd love to," I grinned. "And let's make it interesting, you have your Flygon there battle too and we'll have a two-on-two battle." I knew that this would be good practice for my upcoming double battle with Darkhan. She smirked, as Flygon flapped its wings and landed with a thud next to its trainer.

"Fine by me," she smiled. "Go ahead and choose your Pokemon." I reached for Gabite's Poke Ball, as well as my second choice.

"Gabite, Lairon, come on out!" I shouted. My chosen Pokemon appeared upon hearing their names being summoned. They both roared in unison, ready to battle. They both looked at each other, snarling a little. "Don't start that again," I whispered sternly to them both. "Let's just get this over with."

"A Lairon as well, eh?" Sandra looked on with wonder. "You know, that Lairon is female. Perhaps you should breed them, you could get a Gible that knows Metal Claw or an Aron that knows Dig."

"I don't think that would ever happen," I huffed. "Gabite, take down that other Gabite with Dragon Claw." Gabite nodded, running forward with its claws gleaming. Sandra simply smiled.

"You don't have a clue what a Breeder's Pokemon is capable of," she chuckled. "Attract!" Her Gabite began to hold its claws near its heart. A strange light appeared, it seemed to form into a heart itself. It released the strange energy as Gabite approached its target. The light dispersed across my Gabite's torso. Immediately, Gabite stopped it's tracks and began to blush! "What are you doing, Gabite?" I called over to it. "Dragon Claw, now!" Gabite slouched forward, hanging its arms down by its side. Its eyes narrowed, as it seemed to drool at the sight of the female Gabite. "What's the matter?" I frowned.

"You've never seen the move Attract before?" Sandra laughed. "You're even more dense than I thought! Attract infatuates a Pokemon of the opposite gender, immobilising it with love. Your Gabite has fallen in love with my own."

"Damn," I snapped, watching on as Gabite seemed to fall deeper and deeper into its love-struck state.

"What's going on over here?" I heard a familiar voice say. I looked over to see a Nurse Joy walking towards us. "You know full well that Pokemon Battles outside of the official battle area is prohibited. Unless you two are just sparring with each other."

"No, Nurse Joy," I smiled politely. "Sandra here is a Dragon Breeder and we were just comparing our Gabites." I was always quite good and telling convincing little white lies. I just hoped that someone as clever as Nurse Joy was able to fall for it.

"Really?" Nurse Joy questioned, tilting her head. "Then what about the Flygon and Lairon?"

"I was flying on Flygon's back before I started talking to Jonathyn," Sandra changed her tone to a much more sweet and innocent style. "I think that he was training his Lairon and Gabite when I arrived."

"Fair enough," Nurse Joy nodded after a brief pause to look at us both. "But I will have to ask you all to return to the Trainer Village. There have been reports of Pokemon thieves in the area and everyone is to return to their dorms. We can keep an eye out for everyone in the village, but not whilst they are out here."

"Pokemon Thieves?" Sandra raised an eyebrow.

"Did he have a Crobat and a Weezing?" I asked, believing that Nurse Joy was referring to the Pokemon Hunter that I had encountered yesterday at Azelf's Shrine.

"No… I don't believe so," Nurse Joy shook her head. "Do you know anything about this?"

"Not really," I shrugged. "It's just I saw a suspicious looking trainer yesterday and I'm sure he had a Crobat and a Weezing."

"A Crobat and a Weezing, you say?" Nurse Joy pondered. "No, I can't say that I have seen that individual before. But there are more than one of these thieves. Some believe that a Kirlia was seen right before they attacked.

"A Kirlia?" Sandra began to think to herself as well. "Come to think of it, I did see two people with a Kirlia. They were asking whether or not they had seen a boy with a Pikachu on his shoulder."

"Hold on… a Pikachu on his shoulder?" I suddenly blurted out. "That's Ash! One of Misty's friends. Perhaps he's in danger."

"Well if you see him, tell him to report to Officer Jenny right away," Nurse Joy ordered with a serious tone. "Pokemon thieves are notorious and they could ruin the whole Indigo tournament if they are not stopped."

"Right, I will do," I nodded. "Gabite, Lairon… let's go." I turned to face my Pokemon. My Gabite was flirting terribly with Sanrdra's Gabite. Lairon seemed to find this hilarious. Flygon also seemed to find it amusing. "Return," I called, releasing myself from further embarrassment, calling Gabite back into its Poke Ball. "Lairon, you'd better return too. I can't risk losing you before the next battle." Lairon nodded, as I too called it back. Sandra hopped on the back of her Flygon, returning her own Gabite respectively.

"Well then, Jonathyn…" she smirked to me. "I guess we'll have to do this another day. I'll be seeing you," she called as her Flygon took to the skies with a mighty flap of its wings. I looked up as Sandra soared towards the village. I thanked Nurse Joy for her assistance and warning us of the danger. As she rounded up the other trainers around the area, I began to run back towards the village. I began running through the long grass, just as I had done to get to the clearing. Once again, small Pokemon rushed away from me. Even a small flock of Spearow, usually aggressive and territorial seemed to be completely scared witless as I darted past. It was no sooner than I had left the grassy patch that I found myself back on the path that led back toward the Trainer Village. I looked behind me towards the forest when I suddenly recognised someone walking towards me… it was Casey, riding on the back of her Meganium. I waved over to her. She soon waved back and trotted up to my side.

"What's going on, Jonathyn?" she grinned cheerfully. "I've just been with Misty and Ash. They're both back in the forest a small way. Catching up on old times."

"We'd better go back and get them," I suddenly told her. "Nurse Joy says that there are people going around stealing people's Pokemon. Particularly, they're following Ash from what I've been told. We need to find them."

"I know where they are," Casey nodded. "Hop on Meganium's back, we'll go together." She shuffled forwards a little, as I carefully climbed up. Meganium was surprisingly strong, able to carry us both on its back with relative ease. It began to run fairly quickly for such a large and heavy Pokemon. "So where have you been?" she asked me.

"Attempting to train," I sighed. "I woke up a bit late, but Misty had already gone anyway. And even though I tried to train, I didn't actually get much of a chance." I sighed. "Still don't know who to use in the next battle."

"Trust me," Casey grinned. "You're a strong trainer and you'll pick the right Pokemon. You've got to be a good trainer, I mean you managed to beat me, right?" she chuckled. I was quite relieved that Casey was in such good spirits, even though she was so passionate on winning. Not that it would have changed a great deal even if she wasn't so upbeat about it, but it certainly was more convenient.

"So this Ash guy…" I muttered. "Is he very close to Misty?"

"REAL close," Casey nodded. "Why is that? You getting jealous?"

"Jealous!?" I blurted out, a little stunned. "What on earth makes you say that?"

"Don't try and swerve one past me, Jon," Casey turned her head, smirking uncontrollably. "I know about you two." This comment took me by surprise a little bit.

"H-How did you know that?" I stammered.

"I'm not stupid, you know?" she giggled. "I saw you two making out through the window yesterday…"

"Oh…" I felt a little bit awkward as Meganium had now ran through the forest and out towards the stream that led to the lake that had become a regular visiting point since Misty and I got here. I saw Misty sat on the side of the lake. Ash was also there, laying down on his back with his hands behind his head. His Pikachu was curled up across his chest, relaxing in the sunshine. They were both mildly conversing as Casey and I came into their view. I saw Pikachu raise its head before jumping up. Ash also sat forward, looking at Casey and I. I quickly leapt off Meganium's back and ran the rest of the way towards them.

"Nice to see that you finally woke up," Misty said with a stern look.

"Yeah, sorry," I grinned. "But there's something you two need to know. There are Pokemon thieves in the area and Nurse Joy said that we should all head back to the Trainer Village."

"Oh man," Misty whined. "Why is it that every time I get a bit of relaxation, something has to ruin it for me?"

"Don't look at me," I held my hands up defensively. "I only just found out from Nurse Joy. I bumped into Casey who told me that you guys were out here. I had to warn you, you know?"

"Thanks, I appreciate it," Ash nodded. I suddenly noticed that a Pokemon had walked out from the trees. It was human-looking creature, yet it had the palest white skin I had seen, along with some green and red features on it. It seemed to walk on its tip toes, with its hands placed on its hips.

"Wow, a Kirlia," Ash gasped, as the Kirlia tip-toed towards us, staring at us as if intimidated. The Pikachu strolled forward, which the Kirlia seemed to get a little nervous about. "Don't scare it, Pikachu," Ash warned. "Kirlia can get frightened off very easily in the wild."

"Pika?" it shrugged as it cautiously walked forward towards the Kirlia. Suddenly, a smaller looking creature walked up as well. It was a Ralts, but seemed to be far more inquisitive than the Kirlia was. The Ralts wandered around somewhat aimlessly, walking into tree stumps and almost into the lake, if not for the Kirlia.

"Something's strange about that Ralts and Kirlia," I muttered to Casey. "Psychic Pokemon shouldn't walk into stuff like that Ralts is right now."

"Perhaps its too young to use its power," Casey suggested. "It looks rather weak. Perhaps I should catch it! Or even the Kirlia. They evolve into Gardevoir or Gallade, both are powerful Pokemon.

"No way, Casey," Ash smirked. "This one's mine. Pikachu, use Thunderbolt," he ordered, pointing straight at the Kirlia and Ralts. The Kirlia seemed to be waving its arms in mercy, showing off a pair of hands that seemed to resemble paws like a cat. This confused me a little, as Pikachu charged up its electric attack before firing it at the two Psychic Pokemon. The attacks hit dead on, but the Kirlia took most of the damage by far. The Ralts did not seem to be bothered that much by it. Once the attack had finished, the Kirlia was smouldering. Pieces of charred skin flaked away and fell to the floor. I looked again and saw that the Kirlia had changed. It was like it was wearing a costume. Stood in front of us on it's hind legs was a cat-like creature with a charm of some sort on its head.

"A Meowth?" I scratched my head. "This is getting way too confusing!" No sooner than I had said that, two strange arms shot out from the trees. One grabbed Pikachu, the other managed to get hold of Meganium before plucking both of the Pokemon into the air.

"What the…?" Ash suddenly glared towards the trees, as the arms withdrew back. A large balloon began to rise into the air above us. It seemed to resemble the head of a Meowth. In the basket beneath, two individuals were laughing maniacally, as the Meowth and the Ralts had managed to jump up to join their comrades. Pikachu and Meganium were squirming as the arms withdrew right back to a mechanical platform fastened to the basket.

"Meganium!" Casey desperately shouted in fear.

"Who are you people!?" I roared.

"Listen, is that a voice I hear?" came the voice of a female with long, curved red hair.

"It's speaking to me, loud and clear," replied a deep male voice of the fellow with shiny blue hair, who was holding a rose in front of his face.

"On the wind," the female sneered.

"Past the stars," the male posed.

"In your ear," came a much stranger voice, as the Meowth jumped up onto the side of the basket, bearing its long claws.

"Bringing chaos at a break-neck pace," the female raised her arm into the air.

"Dashing hope and bringing fearing in it's place," the male added, raising his arm in the opposite direction to his partner's.

"A rose by any other name is just as sweet," the female smiled evilly.

"When everything is worse, then our work is complete," the male also slyly grinned.

"Jessie," she called.

"And James," he added.

"And Meowth!" The cat-like Pokemon shouted, which amazed me a little. "Now that's a name!"

"Putting the do-gooders in their place," the female flexed one of her arms.

"Team Rocket…" the male sneered.

"We're in your face!" the Meowth called again, as all three of the individuals posed and laughed.

"Wo--bbuffet!" boomed a blue, humanoid like Pokemon with narrow eyes and a jagged mouth, holding one arm to its head.

"Mime, Mi-Mime!" a small clown-like creature mimicked the Wobbuffet's pose, as a crude Ralts-costume fell off it to the ground. I seemed to be a little bit taken aback by the weirdness of these three, but it didn't take me long to figure out that these must be the Pokemon thieves that Nurse Joy had warned us about…

**TO BE CONTINUED**

**_Next Time:_** Can Ash and Casey succeed in getting their Pokemon back from Team Rocket? Also, one of our heros leaves for home...


	16. Chapter 16

_DISCLAIMER: I do not own Pokemon... you know how it goes by now._

_MESSAGE TO READERS: Sorry that it has taken such a long time to post this chapter. It's been a little bit busier at work than what I am used to. But I have had a quiet spell, so now I have a chance to post this chapter. I'm looking forward to seeing how the next few chapters pan out... and I'm writing the ing thing! But just so you know, posts will become a little less frequent than they have been. Maybe one chapter a week, who knows. But for now, grab yourselves a lemonade or something, kick back and enjoy!_

**THE LEAGUE OF CHAMPIONS**

**CHAPTER 16: ROCKET GANG RETURN! DEPARTURE OF CASEY!**

"Team Rocket!" Ash roared in annoyance, obviously recognising the three figures who had possession of his Pikachu and Casey's Meganium. "Give Pikachu back, right now!"

"Hmm… let me think about that one for just a moment," the purple haired woman sarcastically pondered. "Err… Don't think so!" she mocked, pulling a face at him.

"Pikachu, Thunderbolt!" Ash shouted loud enough for his beloved Pokemon to hear. I could faintly see sparks fly from Pikachu, before the entire metallic arm holding it surged with bright electricity. Yet nothing more than that seemed to happen. The trio in the Meowth shaped balloon laughed.

"You ought to know better than that by now, twerp!" the woman known as Jessie laughed. "Pikachu is ours now!"

"And so is the Meganium," the male who had referred to himself as James added. "These two power-packed Pokemon will be a positively potent present for the boss."

"Quit using words that begin with "P", would ya?" the talking Meowth growled. "It gets irritating after a while."

"Easy for those guys to say," Misty muttered to Ash and I.

"Hey, red-head! Don't mock us!" Jessie snapped angrily. "In case you've forgotten, we have the upper hand here. We've got both of your Pokemon. And unless you would rather have them plummet to their deaths, I suggest you keep your twerpish trap shut!" Jessie warned.

"You wouldn't dare!" Misty shouted up.

"Is that right?" Jessie sneered. "Don't say we didn't warn you…" with that, the robotic arm released Meganium. It began to fall at high speed towards the ground.

"No! My Meganium!" Casey shrieked in fear. Meganium was falling like a stone and there was no way to stop the heavy Pokemon from crashing to earth. That is until the robotic arm that had just released it shot down and grabbed it not far from the ground. Casey sighed in a little bit of relief, but still seemed upset that Team Rocket still had hold of her precious Meganium. All four of us glared up at the criminals, who had extremely smug looks on their faces.

"Now, do you believe us?" Jessie smirked sadistically at Misty. She shook with anger, but Ash even more so.

"I can't believe it," Ash growled. "They're a lot more serious than when I last saw them…"

"You've seen these guys before?" I asked, a little surprised by this revelation.

"Ever since the second episode, in fact!" Meowth boasted proudly. Jessie and James quickly slammed their feet on Meowth's head in frustration.

"How many times have we told you that breaking the fourth wall is not clever?" James grumbled, putting more pressure on the cat-like Pokemon's head.

"We're not that way inclined anymore, Meowth," Jessie sneered. "We're a new Team Rocket now. We're on the brink of promotion and comments like that might ruin it for us!"

"They keep getting weirder," Ash muttered to Misty and I. Misty nodded, whereas I just shrugged and reached for a Poke Ball.

"Don't worry about a thing," I smirked. "I'll deal with these guys. Pelipper, let's go!" I threw my Poke Ball forward. Pelipper appeared in the air, cawing its name as it usually did. "Pelipper, go up there and use Water Gun to put out the fire on that balloon!"

"Good thinking," Casey smiled. "At least that way, it will bring the balloon down a bit more slowly."

"Not if I can help it!" Jessie snarled. "Seviper, deal with that dodo!" She launched a Poke Ball forward. Appearing in the air, a black and purple serpent appeared with dark yellow fangs. It's tail looked like a sword's blade. It curled up, before striking forward at Pelipper. "Wrap it, Seviper!" Jessie shouted, as the snake coiled itself around Pelipper. It's wings were crumpled together by the huge snake. Both Pokemon began to fall down to the ground.

"Get out of there, Pelipper!" I cried. "Hydro Pump!" Pelipper angled its head, firing a rapid jet of water, but Seviper simply moved its head sinuously beneath its body. The Hydro Pump missed completely.

"Bite, Seviper!" Jessie yelled. I could hear Pelipper shriek out in pain as the long fangs of the poisonous snake sank into its skin. They drew nearer to the ground.

"Pelipper, try and steer yourself towards the water!" I called, noticing that they were just shy of the lake. Pelipper struggled a little, but managed to somehow twist itself over, changing direction in mid air. Within moments, both Pelipper and the Seviper had fallen into the lake.

"I'll help you out," Casey smiled, withdrawing a Poke Ball. "Vespiquen, let's do it!" The giant bee Pokemon re-appeared before us again. Ash looked in complete shock when he saw the sheer size of the beast. It towered over him, yet it did not have bad intentions anymore.

"When did you get a Vespiquen!?" Ash asked, still gasping.

"Not long ago," Casey smiled. "Took down two of Jonathyn's Pokemon no sweat." She winked at me as if to say she was just toying with me. I smiled faintly back, but was concerned that Pelipper had not yet resurfaced.

"Seviper, come up to the surface and use Haze!" Jessie called. The snake quickly appeared, with Pelipper nowhere in sight. As is squirmed to the shore, it released a thick black fog cloud from its mouth. We all began to cough and splutter, not able to see a single thing.

"Vespiquen, go after that balloon and bring it back here!" Casey called, waving her hands to get rid of some of the smoke. I noticed a whoosh of air rush past me, as the Vespiquen launched itself skyward. I could hear a couple of intimidated yelps coming from beyond the haze.

"Where are you, Pelipper?" I called for my Pokemon anxiously, still blinded by Seviper's Haze attack. "Can you hear me?"

"I know how to sort this out," Ash coughed, pulling a Poke Ball off his belt. "Staraptor, Whirlwind!" I could hear the sound of a Pokemon bursting out from its confinement before feeling a strong gust of wind blow across us. I could finally see again, as the wind blew the Haze away. I looked up to see a large hawk of some kind vigorously flapping its wings. It had a red crest on the top of its head that hung over its head like a quiff of hair. It looked extremely sleek, not to mention strong. I then looked around the lakeside area. I finally spotted Pelipper slumped against the shore. I rushed over to it, leaping and bounding through the boggier parts of the lakeside.

"Pelipper, are you alright?" I asked with great concern for my Pokemon. It weakly lifted its head. Two large bite marks had punctured the base of its neck, from which a small amount of blood was trickling from. Luckily, it did not appear as though any poison had managed to enter the bloodstream, despite the fact that the bite was fairly deep. "Thank you for trying," I smiled with a sigh to Pelipper. "As soon as we're done here, we'll get you to a Pokemon Center." I then withdrew Pelipper back into the safety of its Poke Ball. I now noticed that Casey's Vespiquen had flown up to the side of the basket. The Team Rocket trio were rather scared at the sight of the abnormally large Pokemon.

"I'll deal with this. Carnivine, time to play!" James smirked, throwing a Poke Ball forward. However, the creature that emerged from it appeared behind him and immediately chomped its large, fly-catcher mouth around his head. I could not help but chuckle a little bit at this. "It's time to play, not time to snack!" James whined as the Grass-Type Pokemon's bite seemed to get more stronger. Eventually though, it did release its grip, as James rearranged his hair. "Use Bullet Seed on Vespiquen," he ordered, as the creature floated into the air and opened its gaping mouth. From it, a storm of seeds began pelting against Vespiquen.

"Use Defend Order," Casey shouted up. The six Combee grubs once again appeared from the honeycomb in Vespiquen's abdomen and formed perfect wall with their hexagonal shapes. The grubs took the full brunt of the attack.

"Seviper, Poison Tail!" Jessie shouted, as the serpent's sword-like tail began to fill with poison. It swung it towards Ash's Staraptor, connecting with full force.

"They're a lot stronger than usual," Misty gasped as the Staraptor fell to the ground, almost completely wiped out from that one single shot. Casey nodded her head. Vespiquen's Defend Order was beginning to fail, as Carnivine's Bullet Seed attack continued to pound against it.

"Give up, twerps," Jessie smirked smugly. "We've done a bit of training as well and are on the brink of a huge promotion. All we need to climb the top of the ladder is this Pikachu and then the boss is going to give us riches beyond our wildest dreams!"

"And we ain't gonna lose out to some punk-nosed kids who think they're better than us," the Meowth added with a growl.

"I'm not going to let you get away with Pikachu," Ash roared angrily. "Staraptor, use Wing Attack on the arms holding Pikachu and Meganium!" Staraptor took to the skies and flew like a missile towards the balloon. However, the trio did not seem phased by the approaching danger.

"Don't think so!" Meowth laughed, pressing a red button on a remote control. The arms suddenly began to glow a little, before firing a bolt of electricity straight at Staraptor, crackling against its chest. The resulting attack caused Staraptor to faint instantly as it began to plummet towards the ground.

"Staraptor!" Ash almost screamed in fear as the hawk fell towards the ground. "Return!" he quickly drew out his Poke Ball and returned it safely before it could hit the ground. Ash looked up almost in complete rage. Team Rocket were laughing away to themselves, proud of their currently accomplishments. "What did you do to my Staraptor, Team Rocket!?" Ash shouted enraged.

"Ha! You can thank your Pikachu for charging up our defence mechanism," Meowth sneered. "It's shocking what you can do with a little Pika-Power," he mocked with the lame pun.

"This time, once and for all Team Rocket is victorious!" Jessie shrieked, almost with tears of delight in her eyes. James meanwhile had begun dancing with joy with his Mime Jr, which seemed to be loving the attention it was receiving. "And without further ado, it is time to take our leave."

"Full speed away!" Meowth laughed greedily as two turbine engines slowly extended out from the side of the machine holding Pikachu and Meganium. I could hear them whirring as the balloon began to move away a lot faster.

"I hate to have to do this," Casey mumbled a little worriedly. "Power Gem, Vespiquen!" I had almost forgotten that Casey's Beehive Pokemon was still defending itself from the onslaught coming from Carnivine. The Defend Order must be obscenely strong to withstand that amount of punishment. The Rocket's Carnivine seemed to be exhausted, it's Bullet Seed now an awful lot weaker. Vespiquen began to form the powerful ball of energy that had knocked out my Houndoom out before in a single hit. It raised itself behind the Combee Wall, before launching the attack at Carnivine. It connected dead on, sending the Fly Catcher Pokemon hurtling back onto one of the engines, exploding on impact. Jessie and James's faces looked agog as they noticed the mishap.

"Do something, James!" Jessie ordered almost spitefully.

"Why don't you do something yourself? Seviper isn't doing anything down there!" James yelled back.

"Stop whining!" Meowth snarled. "We need to get out of here!"

"I've just had a great idea!" I suddenly pipped up. "Houndoom, let's go!" My Dark Pokemon comrade appeared in front of Ash. It barked as soon as it saw Team Rocket's balloon. "Houndoom, see if you can use a Faint Attack on the machine holding Pikachu and Meganium."

"But Jon, Houndoom will just get electrocuted like Staraptor did," Misty gasped, worried about my tactics.

"Don't worry," I grinned confidently. "Faint Attack always hits no matter what, so hopefully this will work." I then looked down at my trusted ally once again. "Faint Attack, go!" I pointed. Houndoom seemed a little unsteady at first, examining the distance between the ground and the balloon. It was a fair distance upwards, but Houndoom somehow began to rise up into the air and darted towards the balloon.

"Seviper, Wrap that mongrel," Jessie ordered. The snake sprang upwards, but just as it approached it was hit by a flurry of blue flame. The snake screamed in pain as the attack burned away at it. "What is that!?" Jessie squealed in confusion. I tried to find the source of the flame. Then I could see it… a Flygon…

"No way…" I gasped. "Sandra…"

"Who's Sandra?" Misty asked, a tone of somewhat concern in her voice.

"A trainer I met just now, before I came here," I replied, glaring at the Flygon. I could see Sandra's figure sitting atop of the Dragon Pokemon. I now saw that Flygon's wings were filled with silver, slamming them full force into Seviper, forcing it to the ground. As they drew nearer to the ground themselves, Sandra disembarked her Pokemon before it took off to the skies once again. I was a little dumbstruck by her sudden appearance, but even more so that Jessie's Seviper had been stopped simply by a Dragonbreath and Steel Wing combination.

"I love a good battle, especially when it's the bad guys we're fighting!" Sandra grinned. I smiled back, yet Misty seemed to frown with uncertainty. I looked back up to see that Houndoom had now faded into nothing. It reappeared from nowhere and struck the arm that was holding Casey's Meganium. The metal was bent and buckled, before eventually snapping. Meganium was free, but was now also falling to the ground once again. This time with no visible way of stopping.

"Meganium, extend your Vine Whip up to Vespiquen! Vespiquen, help Meganium!" Casey called, desperately hoping that this would work. As instructed, Meganium left a vine trail as it fell. The strong bee Pokemon wrapped the vines around its arms and managed to swing Meganium to one side, its fall now less potent than before. Vespiquen could not quite hold Meganium up fully, but reduced the speed enough to avoid any injury at all. Casey ran over to her beloved sauropod, as the queen bee lowered itself to her side, looking exhausted. I looked back up to see that my Houndoom had landed on Flygon's back and were flying towards Team Rocket's balloon at incredible speed.

"Flygon, use Steel Wing!" Sandra shouted, almost like a sergeant rallying her troops. The Flygon's wings filled with the same shade of silver as before, approaching ever closer.

"Houndoom, Faint Attack on the arm holding Pikachu!" I shouted.

"Gimme a break!" Meowth chuckled, pressing another button on his remote control. Another sudden bolt of electricity surged towards Flygon and Houndoom. But Flygon suddenly reared upwards, shielding Houndoom from the attack whilst taking the brunt of it itself. Small sparks scattered away, seemingly having no effect on the dragon. "What gives!?" the Scratch Cat Pokemon gasped. "There's no way that flying termite coulda survived that!"

"I know why," I grinned upon realisation. "Even though it can fly, Flygon is part Ground Type. And it's a well known fact that electricity has little to no effect on Ground Types."

"That's right," Sandra confirmed my analysis. Flygon's wings struck the arm hard, smashing it into small pieces. Houndoom's Faint Attack finished it off, as Pikachu began to fall. It smiled happily as it landed on Houndoom's back, which settled on Flygon's back in turn. "Good job, Flygon," Sandra congratulated her Dragon Pokemon.

"You too, Houndoom!" I added. "Great work."

"No it's time to finish them!" Ash grinned, clenching his fist. "Pikachu, give them a Thunder that they'll never forget!" Pikachu grinned in the same way as its trainer. Team Rocket looked a little worried, until Jessie pushed her Wobbuffet forward. Pikachu leapt into the air and fired a large bolt of electricity towards the balloon.

"Mirror Coat," Jessie frantically instructed. The Thunder struck the balloon, but Wobbuffet's aura began to glow all different colours of the spectrum. Suddenly, the attack flew back at Pikachu, hitting it with brutal force! It shrieked out in complete agony, before Flygon whooshed up to catch it, dragging it away from harm. "Not too shabby, don't you think?" Jessie taunted, praising her Pokemon by rubbing its head.

"Man… they've thought of everything," Ash groaned, frustrated that he still had not been able to get rid of his foes.

"Jonathyn, your Houndoom knows Flamethrower, right?" Sandra asked me with a glint in her eye. It was obvious that she was planning something.

"It certainly does," I replied almost boastfully.

"If we attack together, Wobbuffet's Mirror Coat will fail. Ash, have your Pikachu attack too." Sandra began to chuckle at her own modest excellence. "Flygon, Ice Beam!"

"Houndoom, use Flamethrower!" I called.

"Pikachu, Thunderbolt!" Ash shouted. All three Pokemon began to charge their attacks, firing them simultaneously at the hot-air balloon. The trio within its basket looked horrified as the three attacks struck with mighty force. Immediately upon impact, the balloon burst into flames. An explosion ripped out through the sky, leaving a black cloud of smoke. The figures of the Team Rocket trio, along with their Pokemon began to fly into the distance.

"Looks like Team Rocket is blasting off again!" their faint voices called as they hurtled beyond the horizon. A small star glistened as they finally disappeared from view. Pretty much all of us breathed a long sigh of relief, as Flygon quickly landed back on the ground. Houndoom jumped off its back as Pikachu leapt into its trainer's welcoming arms. Casey walked up to where we were standing with her Meganium and Vespiquen in tow.

"That heavens that's over with!" Ash wiped the sweat from his forehead, removing his hat briefly in order to do so. "I suppose I ought to get Pikachu to a Pokemon Centre, not to mention heal up Staraptor too."

"Same goes for me," I replied with a nod. "My Pelipper took quite a beating and Houndoom could use a rest too." Houndoom panted happily. It loved to be healed more than anything. For a Dark type, it was surprisingly compassionate. Mind you, it IS the first Pokemon that I ever obtained… it's nature was the same even as a Houndour.

"That was good training," Sandra chuckled once again, patting her Flygon on the neck, before climbing onto its back. "I suppose we had best keep it up, right Flygon?"

"Fly--" it roared excitedly.

"Thanks for all your help, Sandra," I bowed with gratitude. Sandra winked at me, before taking off on her Dragon Pokemon. In an instant, our view of the Dragon Breeder was cut off by the tree tops. Misty seemed to huff a little, for reasons which I didn't clearly understand.

"Well, I'm going to head back to Goldenrod now," Casey pipped up. "It's a long way back and the Electabuzz Team is facing the Oreburgh Gravelers soon!"

"You're not staying for the rest of the tournament?" Misty asked, a little sad that her friend was leaving.

"They're the Sinnoh Champions, so I don't want to miss the Electabuzz cream them!" Casey grinned. "It was great to see you again!" she smiled walking up to Misty and exchanging a small friendly hug. She then approached Ash. "Sorry that I didn't really get to talk to you," she sighed. "But it's good to see that you are keeping well! Bye Pikachu!"

"Pika, Pika!" it cheerfully waved.

"It was nice to meet you, Casey. You've been a good friend and a good rival to me as well," I grinned, extending my hand in friendship.

"Same to you," Casey smiled back, clasping my hand and shaking it firmly. "But next time, I'll beat you. I guarantee it."

"Good luck with that," I smirked. She copied it as well, before releasing my hand and began walking, with Vespiquen and Meganium right by her side. She waved to us all as she headed back into the forest. It went completely silent as soon as she was out from view, even though we were saying our goodbyes even as we waved back to her. Eventually, Ash broke the silence.

"So what now?" he mumbled with a tired stretch. "I'm about ready for something to eat."

"I'm not so sure that I'm hungry just yet," Misty sighed, a little bit down still.

"I think I might as well continue my training," I grinned. "Misty, if you still want to see Ash then go with him."

"Are you sure?" Misty glanced at me with a slightly worried look, blushing a little.

"Positive! Go on, get out of here."

"What about Pelipper?" Misty asked. "It got badly hurt in the battle against Seviper."

"I know, perhaps I should go to a Pokemon Center first…" I began to think out loud.

"If you train now, then you can heal all your Pokemon at once," Ash suggested. "Pelipper is fine as long as you keep it in its Poke Ball."

"That's true," I raised my eyebrow at the idea put forward. "So what Pokemon do you have on you?"

"Well, Pikachu comes with me wherever I go," Ash began. "And you've already seen my Staraptor. But I'll show you the other Pokemon that I have on hand. I have even more at home in Pallet Town." He threw forward five Poke Balls. From the first, his weakened Staraptor appeared. Obviously it was still tired from the battle with Team Rocket. From the second, a funny looking bat-like Pokemon with a tail that resembled a scorpion. It's whole body was a dark shade of pink, but not quite purple. The third Pokemon that appeared was a bizaare looking creature. It resembled a weasel of some description, only with some sort of air sack on its neck that for some reason reminded me of a towel. It seemed to be rather powerful and looked incredibly confident in its abilities. The fourth was a large, reptilian creature covered in smooth, green scales. It's tail resembled a gorse bush to some extent and it had sharp growths protruding from its elbow and forearms. And finally, the fifth Pokemon that Ash had resembled a beetle of some kind. It's horn that stuck out from its head looked impressive. It had walked over to the nearest tree and tried to suck out some sap.

"Wow…" I exclaimed in awe. "Pikachu, Staraptor, Gligar, Floatzel, Sceptile and Heracross. That's quite a team you have there."

"Thanks," Ash acknowledged the compliment. "Tell you what, I need something to fill my appetite. But first, how about a little battle?"

"You must have read my mind!" I smirked. "What rules shall we make for this?"

"I don't know… say one on one?" he suggested.

"Do you mind if we go for a Double Battle?" I replied. "My third round match is coming up and I could use some proper practice."

"Fine by me. Do you know which Pokemon you're going to use for the third round match yet?"

"I sure do… and I'll show them to you now…" I grinned, holding two Poke Balls in my hand. "My Steel-Type bulldozer, Lairon!" I tossed the first Poke Ball forward. Lairon emerged snarling and ready for battle. "The second, the mighty dragon of the ground, Gabite!" I called as the Cave Pokemon appeared next to Lairon. As usual, they glared at each other and snarled a little, renewing their rivalry.

"That's fine," Ash smiled with excitement. "I'll use my Floatzel and Sceptile!" The other Pokemon seemed a little down that they weren't picked, but continued to cheer and root for the Water Type and the Grass Type Pokemon respectively.

"I'll be the referee," Misty grinned, walking to a half-way point between the two. "Jonathyn has selected his Lairon and his Gabite to battle. Ash has chosen his Sceptile and Floatzel to face them. Begin!"

**TO BE CONTINUED**

_**Next Time:** It's Jonathyn versus Ash! Will the battle go ahead to the full? Or will something interfere with their duel? The answers come in the form of a man dressed all in black, who goes by the name of Darkhan…_


	17. Chapter 17

_DISCLAIMER: As you are more than likely well aware, I do not own Pokemon or any of the characters portrayed herein with the exception of those not seen in any of the games nor the anime._

_WARNING: This story contains OriginalCharacterShipping and PokeShipping. If you are offended by such content, please discontinue reading. Thank you._

* * *

**THE LEAGUE OF CHAMPIONS**

**CHAPTER 17: HIS NAME IS DARKHAN! THE MAN DRESSED IN DARKNESS!**

This opponent… Ash Ketchum of Pallet Town. There was something about him that I seemed to admire. Whether it was his raw determination, I wasn't sure. I gazed almost as though I had been hypnotised at his two chosen Pokemon. A Floatzel and a Sceptile, both of which had some sort of presence surrounding them that told me that they were exceedingly strong. Although I knew myself that Gabite and Lairon were also considerably powerful themselves. Even though this was only more of a sparring battle than an actual match, it was one that I did not want to lose. For some reason, I kept thinking about Misty, who seemed to alternate her eye contact between Ash and myself every few seconds. A few moments had past, as our Pokemon stared at one another. I wondered who was going to make the first move, until I finally decided.

"Lairon, Iron Head on Sceptile. Gabite, Dragon Claw on Floatzel!" I began the match at last. Both my Pokemon surged forward, Lairon with its head down and Gabite with its claws raised. Ash waited for just a moment before responding with his own strategy.

"Sceptile, Leaf Blade! Floatzel, use Razor Wind!" Ash demanded in response. Sceptile launched itself towards Lairon, it spine on its arm glowing green and growing suddenly to an incredible size. Floatzel leapt into the air, gaining amazing height, before launching some blade-like energy created by the sudden swipe of its twin tails. Sceptile slammed the blade into Lairon's head, but skidded back as Lairon continued to push despite being struck by the attack. Gabite also sprung into the air, dispersing the Razor Wind with its Dragon Claw. "Dodge that, Floatzel!" Ash commanded. In a split second, Floatzel began to spin its tails like a rotor and ascended further into the air, narrowly missing my Gabite's attack. Gabite managed to land on both feet without any trouble.

"Lairon, keep going!" I urged, as the Steel Type Pokemon continued to force the Sceptile backwards. It's Leaf Blade not causing too much problem whilst Iron Head was still trying to connect.

"Bullet Seed, Sceptile. Floatzel, Aqua Jet!" Ash called. In that moment, Sceptile launched a barrage of seeds from its mouth at point blank range at Lairon. The Iron Head faded, now it was Lairon's turn to be shoved back by Sceptile's attack. Meanwhile, Floatzel had formed an aura of water around itself and propelled itself at a high velocity straight at Gabite. I had to think fast!

"Gabite, Dig! Lairon, Protect!" I shouted. I looked over to Lairon, who had now formed a small barrier across the surface of its skin. The Bullet Seed attack now just bounced off of it's metallic hide. I then peered over to where Gabite was stood, but it had now vanished underground as Floatzel swooped just above the hole that it had disappeared into. "Come up underneath Sceptile!" I called to my Gabite, hoping it could hear me beneath the surface of the earth. Within seconds, whilst Sceptile was still firing its Bullet Seed unaware of the danger, Gabite burst up from beneath the ground, knocking Sceptile up a few feet before it slammed into the ground. Floatzel was continuing its Aqua Jet attack and now headed right back for Gabite. "Shock Wave on Floatzel, Lairon!" Lairon turned to face the water-covered weasel and fired a jolt of blue electricity straight at it. It cried out in pain as the surge of electricity crackled through its water soaked body. It dropped down right next to Sceptile. "Good work, you two!" I grinned. Ash looked a little concerned for his Pokemon.

"You two alright?" he asked as his Sceptile and Floatzel got back up to their feet. They nodded to confirm their status. "Alright then! Sceptile, Pound on Gabite. Floatzel, Aqua Jet on Lairon." The two Pokemon rushed towards my own once again.

"Lairon, another Shock Wave!" I ordered. "Gabite, Dig again!" Gabite once again disappeared under the ground just a Sceptile swung its tail at it. It impacted the ground but no harm to Gabite was done, thankfully. At that precise moment, Lairon fired another unmissable bolt of electricity at Floatzel, striking it down once again. No sooner than Floatzel had impacted the ground when Gabite popped up from beneath Sceptile, sending it crashing next to Floatzel for the second time. Ash had a look on his face that expressed frustration. I smugly smiled to myself, as Gabite and Lairon stared down their opponents before glaring at each other. It was as though they were trying to impress and outdo one another with their attacks. In this instance, it wasn't a bad thing. In fact, it was working out quite well.

"There's got to be a way to beat him…" Ash muttered to himself, although I could just hear it faintly.

"Face it," I grinned. "Shock Wave hits every time. There's no way for you to stop it. And its super effective against your Water Type. It's only a matter of time before all the Shock Waves take their toll on your Floatzel."

"Your Lairon is doubly weak to Water attacks though," Ash sighed, confusion starting to get the better of him.

"That's not good enough unless you can hit my Lairon before it hits you!" I smugly grinned once again. Ash scowled beneath his breath a little. Misty looked at Ash almost sympathetically and then looked at me with somewhat happiness. I raised an eyebrow at this slightly, before returning my focus to the battle. I noticed also that Ash's other Pokemon were making quite a commotion. Staraptor, who still seemed quite weak was squawking quite loudly. The Heracross seemed to be interested at the strength that all of the Pokemon were showing. The Gligar was flapping its wings ferociously in protest of my current lead in the battle. Pikachu, who was stood at Ash's side simply stared onto the battlefield, almost stunned that Ash had not been able to land a successful hit so far.

"Well then, if that's the case I'll have to try a little harder," Ash replied with a scowl. Sceptile, Solarbeam. Floatzel, Water Pulse! Aim them both at Lairon!" I let out a small chuckle, as the buds on Sceptile's back began to absorb sunlight, forming a ball of solar energy in its mouth. A small ball of water was also forming in between Floatzel's paws. It threw the ball of water at the ground, resulting in a giant tidal wave washing towards Lairon. At the same time, Sceptile leapt into the air and fired the Solarbeam above the Water Pulse. They rapidly approached Lairon, which stood completely still, awaiting my instruction. I waited for a few moments to pass before delivering it.

"Protect!" I nodded smugly once again. Lairon's skin was covered in another sheet of spectral light. The attacks collided, but had no effect at all. Lairon had escaped damage. Ash now looked completely dumbfounded, as did his battling Pokemon.

"But how…" he stammered.

"Don't you understand?" I taunted a little. "Protect literally protects my Pokemon from any attack in one turn. Both your Pokemon attacked at the same time. Protect defends it from both of them." I noticed now that Sceptile looked particularly worn down, as Gabite seemed to glare at it intently. "Dragon Claw on Sceptile," I said to it with victory playing in my mind. Gabite charged forward and was about to swipe at Sceptile…

"Aqua Jet, Floatzel!" Ash cried out. Immediately, Floatzel took to the air and intercepted Gabite with the super-fast attack, knocking Gabite off balance and crashing to the ground. It quickly got back up and snarled at Floatzel. "Sceptile, Bullet Seed!" he ordered. Another bombardment of seeds flew from Sceptile's reptilian mouth. The seeds impacting against Gabite's skull, forcing it down onto one knee.

"Gabite, Dig!" I shouted, as the Cave Pokemon once again managed to escape any more injury by going underground. "Lairon, use Iron Head on Floatzel!" I shouted. Lairon lowered its head and charged forward once again, this time towards the water-weasel.

"Aqua Jet again!" Ash called. Floatzel also began to surge forward straight towards Lairon. Both Pokemon collided head on, but this time it was Lairon who took the brunt of the damage. It looked as though it was a critical hit! Ash let out a smile that was equally as smug as my own. This time it was my turn to frown. Floatzel landed right next to Sceptile once again, looking boisterously confident. That would be a fatal mistake…

"Earthquake!" I shouted, knowing my Gabite would hear it. The ground began to shake, affecting the whole area. Ash's Pikachu quickly leapt up onto his shoulder. I felt a little shaken by the attack myself, no pun intended. I then noticed that Lairon seemed to be in some agony. "Oh no!" I suddenly realised. "It's affecting Lairon too! Quickly Gabite, Dig yourself back up!" The ground stopped shaking only as soon as Gabite re-appeared, striking Sceptile once again. "Shock Wave!" I called. Lairon weakly stepped forward and fired a desperate bolt of electricity at Floatzel, which connected. Floatzel fell to the ground in defeat, but Lairon quickly followed suit. Misty stepped forward to survey their conditions.

"Both Lairon and Floatzel can no longer battle," Misty declared. Both Ash and I sighed, walking over to our respective Pokemon.

"Impressive," a deep voice spoke from the shadows. Misty, Ash and I all looked in the direction of where we thought the voice had come from. I could see a dark figure stood in a small opening that I had barely noticed before. It stepped out into the light, but remained as dark as the shadows that he had emerged from. He was dressed head to toe in black, with the exception of a large white feather curling from the top of his hat. Even his hair was black. I recognised him from yesterday…

"You…" I exclaimed. "You're the Hunter who tried to capture Azelf yesterday?"

"Azelf?" Ash asked… "Here? But I thought that I had seen it back in… oh, never mind."

"No Hunter," the man boomed angrily. "Collector," he corrected us with his single-worded sentences.

"A Pokemon Collector?" Misty frowned unsurely. "What is that meant to mean? Someone who just collects Pokemon? That's so wrong."

"Negative," the man replied. "Enjoy collecting," he added.

"We don't care who you are or what you do," I snarled. "You caused us a lot of grief yesterday. So why don't you get out of here before I call Officer Jenny."

"No cause trouble," he calmly responded. "Tournament."

"Tournament?" Ash repeated. "You mean you're entered in the Pokemon League?"

"Correct," he nodded, walking right up to where we were having our battle. "Jonathyn Christian?"

"Does everyone around here know my name?" I sighed to myself, thinking about all the rivals that I had already met in the last couple of days. "Yes. That is me."

"Opponent!" the man chuckled, withdrawing a long sword from his belt, armed with six Poke Balls along the shaft. A jumped back a little upon seeing it, before remembering that it was mainly a launching mechanism for his Poke Balls.

"What do you mean by that?" I sneered a little, whilst tending to Lairon who was just getting back up to its feet.

"Third Round," the anonymous man answered. "Jonathyn Darkhan."

"Yes, I'm facing a guy called Dar-KHAN!" I mocked the name a little. This seemed to make the man look incredibly angry. It wasn't until I recognised this that I realised the error I had just made. "Oh… you… you must be Dar-KHA…I mean Darkhan." I sweated a little as the man dressed in black raised his sword.

"Jon! Look out!" Ash shouted, quickly returning all of his Pokemon in their Poke Balls, with the exception of Pikachu and Sceptile. I still stood by Lairon and also kept Gabite out for the time being, taking a worried step back as the man known as Darkhan swung his sword. All six Poke Balls flew out from their slots, as his Pokemon appeared. The first, an orange Dragon of some kind with large, powerful wings. It's long tail was tipped with a burning flame. From the second, a four-legged dog-like creature, covered in white fur, with the exception of its head, which was slightly grey with a scythe-like protrusion stick out of its head. Next was another four legged Pokemon, but this seemed to resemble a cat more than a dog. It had soft, purple fur on its body and I also noticed that its tail was forked. The next Pokemon that emerged looked strange, almost like a shell with eyes. In fact it resembled a bagworm to some extent. The final two I recognised almost instantly, having seen them before.

"Quite a selection you have there," I complimented. "I knew that you owned the Weezing and the Crobat, but your Charizard looks mightily strong, so does your Forretress. And I like the combination of Espeon and Absol too."

"Regards," Darkhan accepted my compliment, before pointing straight at Gabite with his sword. "Strong," he described to me, before pointing the tip of the blade at Ash's Sceptile. "Also," he added.

"Uhh… thanks?" Ash replied with a puzzled look on his face. I chuckled a little, before looking back at the Pokemon that Darkhan had. Any one of these six Pokemon were to be my opponents. I had already promised myself to use Gabite and Lairon in tomorrows battle, but had little idea as to which two of the six he would pick. Darkhan seemed to notice this.

"Select!" Darkhan pointed the blade at me this time. I looked quickly at Misty, then Ash.

"I think he means that he wants you to show him which Pokemon you're going to battle with," Misty nudged me. I looked at him a little concerned, but patted my Gabite on its shoulder. It took a step forward.

"Gab, Gabite!" it snarled, bearing its claws and fangs at the mysterious man. Darkhan nodded to me, before raising his arm and flicking his finger forward in an instructional manner. The Weezing floated forward, spluttering its name.

"I had a feeling you'd use that one," I nodded, staring at the Poison Pokemon. I was a little annoyed that Gabite's ground attacks would not be any good against it, since it had the constant ability to levitate off the ground. I tapped Lairon and nodded her head forward. It stepped up to Gabite's side. They would now definitely be my chosen Pokemon for this battle now. Darkhan raised his gloved hand and began to rub his chin, before waving his finger in the same way that he had done before. This time, the Espeon took a couple of steps forward, much to my surprise. I would have thought that the Charizard would have been a better choice or even the Crobat. But I dared not to underestimate the Espeon. It could be a trump card of some sort. "So these are the Pokemon we'll be using in battle. Agreed?" I extended my arm in order to seal the deal.

"Confirmed!" Darkhan grinned, almost sadistically as he firmly shook my hand. "Victory… Darkhan," he sneered, returning his other four Pokemon into their Poke Balls, but keeping his Weezing and Espeon beside him for the time being. He adjusted his hat so that it covered his eyes as he held his head toward the ground. Without looking, he placed all the Poke Balls back into the slots of his sword, before placing it back in his holster. "Farewell," he calmly bid to us. His Weezing lowered itself to the ground, as Espeon jumped up into his open arms. He sat down on top of the Pokemon, before the Weezing somehow managed to levitate back up into the air and began to float across the lake towards the cave that Azelf lived in.

"He's going back after Azelf!" Misty shrieked, as Darkhan floated closer to the island."

"Don't worry," I grinned. "Azelf can look after itself. It knows what to do now."

"He was really weird," Ash stared at the man still sat on his Weezing, not even off balance at all. "It's like he's ill in the head or something. How can someone speak only using one or two words in their sentences?"

"Ash, don't be so harsh," Misty scorned. "But he does seem a little 'out of the ordinary' to say the least. I mean why did he show you which two Pokemon he was going to use?"

"For that matter, how do I know he won't change his mind?" I wondered aloud. "He's already seen what Gabite and Lairon are capable of, so perhaps he has developed those two for the battle."

"In less than two days?" Misty questioned my comment. "I don't think ANY trainer could pull that off."

"You never know, Misty," I shrugged. "The Weezing is rather unorthodox and who knows what moves the Espeon can execute. Either way, we'll beat them. Isn't that right, you two?" I looked at my two chosen Pokemon.

"Gaba, Gabite!" the Dragon Pokemon growled positively, flexing its muscles a little.

"Lairon, Lair!" added the Steel Type, scraping its front paw across the ground. I smiled at the fact that my two Pokemon seemed battle-ready.

"We ought to go and get some rest," I suggested. "After all, tomorrow is going to be a big day."

"Yeah, you're right." Misty nodded in agreement, as did Ash. "What are you going to do?" she asked Ash.

"Might as well see Brock for a while if you want to spend time with Jonathyn," Ash replied with a small hint of bitterness in his voice. His eyes seemed to roll towards me a little. I mimicked the slide and heard Ash grunt a little, turning away from Misty and I.

"We'll see you later," Ash coldly bid his farewell, walking away with Pikachu still sat on his shoulder. Misty held her hand forward to interject, but pulled it back having second thoughts. In the meantime I had returned Gabite and Lairon into the Poke Balls from which they came, before walking up to Misty and placing my hand delicately on her shoulder.

"He's acting so differently that the last time I saw him," Misty sighed sadly. "I told him about you and I," she added.

"What about it?" I asked. Misty gave me a concerned frown.

"We're a couple now," Misty reminded me. At which point I removed my hand from her shoulder.

"At what point last night did we agree to that?" I shook nervously. "I don't remember you asking me."

"But we were kissing for most of the night," Misty raised her voice to me a little. "Are you saying that it didn't mean anything to you?"

"It's not that," I sighed, walking past her to lean on a nearby tree. "I really enjoyed last night. I honesty did. And there is nothing in my heart telling me that what we have is meaningless. I care for you more than…" I paused suddenly, realising what I was saying. Misty giggled a little, walking up to me and softly pecking me on the cheek.

"I know," Misty gently held my hand. "You mean a lot to me too."

"But what about Ash? He obviously cares about you too. And to some extent, you must feel the same way. You even said to me that I reminded you of him…"

"Would it be any different if Ash wasn't here?" Misty asked. "The answer is no. I've made my decision." She paused a little, before smiling at me whilst gazing lovingly into my eyes. "So… how about we make it official?"

"What do you mean?" I gulped, knowing exactly what she was going to say next.

"Are we going to be boyfriend and girlfriend from now on? Or rather do you want to?"

"Well… err… I guess so… I mean, yes!" I stammered, a little panicky for some reason about the thought of getting together with my first 'official' girlfriend. Misty smiled sweetly at me once again.

"Good," she whispered, before kissing me on the lips slowly. "We should get back, it's already starting to get dark."

"I need to stop off at the Pokemon Centre and heal up my Pokemon. Particularly Pelipper, since it took quite a lot of punishment from that Seviper earlier on."

"I have an idea," Misty smiled. "Does your Pelipper know the move Roost?"

"I don't think so," I shook my head. "But I'll see." With that, I grabbed a hold of Pelipper's Poke Ball and threw it forward. The injured pelican Pokemon appeared in front of us and raised its wings weakly. "Pelipper, try using Roost." Pelipper tilted its head a little before tucking its wings back into its body. Some small feathers came off from its body and began to glow pale. It was as though the feathers were healing Pelipper's wounds. A few moments of this, and Pelipper's body gleamed white, as though it had not even been in a battle at all. "Wow," I gasped, examining the shine of Pelipper's feathers. "I never knew that you had a move like that!"

"Pelipper!" it cawed happily, taking to the skies once again. "How did you know about Roost?" I asked Misty.

"Well, Pelipper is a Water type," Misty smiled. She did not say anything else afterwards. I figured out how she knew simply from that. I could almost not believe that I didn't think of that. "So… shall we go?"

"Sure," I nodded, as Pelipper started to fly around the two of us, happy that its wings were no longer injured. We shared a small kiss before heading out of the clearing and back into the forest on the path back towards the Trainer Village. We held hands for as long as our legs were moving. When we stopped, we would momentarily kiss each other once again before setting off. Pelipper did not seem to be bothered. It was more interested in gulping down berries that it came across along the way. In the end, I had to call the flying water type back since we had arrived back at my cabin. The rest of the night was a complete blur. It was almost as though we kissed ourselves to sleep. The last memory I had of the day was my eyes struggling to remain open, as I once again had Misty slumbering in my arms.

**TO BE CONTINUED**

_**Next Time:** The Third Round Battle begins between Jonathyn and the mysterious Darkhan. Will Darkhan use his Espeon and Weezing as he had promised, or will the man shrouded in mystery have Jonathyn fooled? Make sure you read the next chapter to find out…_


	18. Chapter 18

_Disclaimer: I don't own Pokemon, just to make sure you are aware..._

**THE LEAGUE OF CHAMPIONS**

**CHAPTER 18: BATTLE THE SWORDSMAN! ALLIES FUEDING AGAIN!**

Time seemed to have shot forward. Since I had woken from my slumber, I had already been to the Pokemon Centre to heal my comrades to the full. After all, one would not want to head into such an important battle at any less than one hundred per cent. I had awoken especially early this morning. So early in fact that today it was my turn to leave Misty sleeping into daybreak whilst I headed out to do a little bit of research. For this, I had gone to a special area of the Indigo Plateau. It was a place where trainers could sit and examine their opponents' previous battles to perhaps get a better insight to their techniques and tactics. It felt strange to be the only person in the whole room, although it was particularly early. The only people I had passed was Nurse Joy at the Pokemon Centre, a couple of trainers comparing Flying Type Pokemon and a trainer attempting to capture a rogue Steel-Type Wormadam that had sought refuge in the highest possible corner of a corridor. I paid little attention to this. I walked up to a counter, where another Nurse Joy was working. I noticed that unlike the other Nurse Joys that I had met, this one wore a pair of black glasses. She looked like a bookworm to some extent. As soon as I reached the desk at which she was sat, she looked up at me and smiled politely.

"Can I help you?" she asked with a slight croak in her voice. I raised an eyebrow at this. Why would Nurse Joy be acting as a librarian? They're not called Librarian Joy are they?

"Uhh… yes," I quickly snapped back into reality, trying to remember the reason I came here in the first place. "Do you happen to have the first and second round matches of a trainer called Darkhan?" I asked. Librarian Joy quickly tapped something on the keyboard in front of her. Her head jerked to face me once again.

"KAN-197, Darkhan. Surname Unknown. First & Second Round battles won. Third Round battle against Jonathyn Christian," she quickly delivered her data to me. I was left completely stunned at the sheer speed of her speech. "First Round Battle versus Otoshi Michinoku. Pokemon used; Crobat & Weezing defeating Dodrio and Marowak. Second Round Battle versus Jeanette Fisher. Pokemon used; Charizard defeating Grovyle, Scizor and Victreebell."

"Whoa…" I gasped. "His Charizard beat three Pokemon in one go?"

"Match time; three minutes and sixteen seconds," Librarian Joy informed me. I was quite literally motionless. If his Charizard was that powerful, then who knows what his Espeon would be capable of, let alone what else that Weezing of his could come up with. I soon began to doubt myself yet again, but snapped out of it as the Joy looked up at me, tilting her head. "Are you alright?" she asked rapidly.

"Yeah, I'm fine," I shook my head quickly. "What can you tell me about his Weezing and Espeon?"

"I'm afraid that I cannot give out that information verbally," the Librarian Joy replied apologetically. "Trainers can watch opponent's previous battles that have been burned onto a digital versatile disc in order to make their own assumptions of their opponents."

"Err…wow," I swallowed a little, still astonished at the speed of which she delivered her sentences. "Can you show me the battle with his Weezing? The first one, I mean."

"Certainly," the Joy smiled approvingly before standing up and whizzing herself over to a tall filing cabinet. Amazingly, she opened a drawer and quickly pulled out a disc from it no sooner than she had opened it. She slammed it shut and darted back over to where I was stood. "Here you are. Please return it to me as soon as you have completed your analysis." I stood blankly for just a few moments.

"Uhh… thanks!" I suddenly came back to reality, before walking over to a blank TV screen, pressing a button on the monitor. A disc tray slid open from the front of the monitor. I placed the DVD perfectly into place, before pushing the tray back in.

"Press the button, don't push the tray in by force!" Librarian Joy called over to me. It was the seriousness in her voice that made me jump with surprise this time. I bowed to say sorry in my own way, before looking back at the screen. The image of Darkhan appeared on the screen, alongside his two battling Pokemon, Crobat and Weezing. I stared at it with great interest. His opponent was a boy who had his long hair tied back in a spiky pony-tail of some sort. He was dressed in some form of robe that you would usually see in a kendo dojo or something to that effect. His partners were a Dodrio and a Marowak, both of which looked unbelievably experienced. Yet I knew how the outcome was going to be. His Pokemon didn't stand much of a chance. His Crobat was flying around most of the stadium, before coming in close to attack. Whilst his Weezing constantly floated in mid-air, launching attacks such as Flamethrower and Zap Cannon. Then I noticed something… something about the style that he had his Weezing use. I made a mental note of it, which I was sure to use when the battle came to commence. I took a look at the clock on the wall. It was almost midday! Had I really been in this room for that long! My match was to start any second now and I was sat here. I quickly headed for the door, but the Librarian Joy stopped me.

"Could all trainers please return the digital versatile discs that they have borrowed as soon they have completed their analysis," she reminded me. I sighed with a scowl and ran back, pushing the button to release the DVD. The tray seemed to slowly slide open. I whisked the DVD out of the tray, before pushing the tray shut once again. Librarian Joy purposefully cleared her throat a little menacingly. I ran towards the exit, passing her the DVD swiftly.

"Thanks Joy!" I called as I burst out of the door, bolting it down the corridor. There were signs everywhere. I knew that I had to head for the Ice Field, which was on the other side of the Indigo Plateau. I dodged passed various people, including Misty, Ash and Brock who were all heading for the stands. I waved at them as I passed. Misty was calling something to me, but I could not hear her over the crowds of people trying to get into the various arenas. "I'll catch up with you later!" I called to her. She nodded understandingly. She knew I was in a rush. I checked my Poketch. It was now two minutes until twelve o'clock. I barely had time to address a mocking comment that Harley made to me as I shoved past him. I replied only with a sneering glance, before finally approaching the tunnel that leads to the Trainer Lounge of the Ice Field. I did not even remove my backpack since I was that much in a hurry. Without time to spare, I made it to the end of the tunnel. An official was waiting for me. I huffed and panted a little as I tried to catch my breath back.

"We thought you weren't going to show!" the official laughed. I weakly smiled back, still leaning forward in exhaustion. I quickly regained my composure as I could hear the announcer for the battle begin his introductory speech.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, welcome to the Ice Field here at the Indigo Plateau, where we are about to start the first of today's third round battles!" the announcer excitedly shouted to the seemingly thousands of roaring fans. "Each of the trainers that you will see today has already defeated two talented trainers. And today, only the strongest trainers will move on to Round 4. We've got a lot of action to get through today, so let's get on with our first battle." There was a momentary pause, as the official looked at me.

"Ready?" he asked. I replied with a simple nod, having now got my breath back. He whispered something into his mouthpiece that hooked over his ear and down to his mouth. The announcer then began shouting energetically once again.

"Introducing first, the red trainer. A man of few words, he has already defeated two veterans of the Pokemon League. His Pokemon are strong enough to wipe out even the toughest of defences. They have dubbed him "The Pokemon Swordsman" since debutting in the Pokemon League. Hailing from his hometown of Solaceon Town in Sinnoh, please welcome…Darkhan!" I looked out towards the opposite end of the field, where Darkhan had emerged. He was carrying his sword like a royal guard would hold his rifle. The blade propped up against his shoulder. He had an almost expressionless smirk on his face. He raised his free hand loosely to address the crowd, many of whom were cheering for him. Obviously, they had not seen his attempt to capture the legendary Azelf like I had. For some reason, my eyes were fixed on him like glue. I refused to let him out of my sight, but I didn't really know why.

"And now, introducing the green trainer. He is rising towards greatness at a break-neck speed, having defeated a seemingly invincible Vespiquen in the last round. He is Azalea Town's own Pokemon Master in the making! A trainer who seemingly has no understanding of the word "defeat". Please make some noise for…Jonathyn Christian!" I slowly paced out from my end of the arena. I barely acknowledged the crowds roaring cheers. I simply stared at Darkhan, who was staring at me also with equal determined intent. As soon as I stepped on the green coloured podium, it began to rise up a fair few feet. I took a moment to absorb the environment in which I would be battling on. It did not look at all dissimilar from the Rock Field that I had previously battled on. With of course the blatantly obvious exception that everything was covered in a thick, azure blue sheet of ice. Formations protruded upwards from the frozen water in the same way that the boulders on the Rock Field had done. And despite the heat being given off from the glorious sunshine, the ice seemed to show little temptation of melting. I noticed that Darkhan had already called out his Absol, which was stood loyally beside him. I glanced at it slightly, before Darkhan delicately stroked the back of its head before glaring back towards me.

"Disaster," he muttered darkly. I immediately recognised the significance of this taunt. Absol are believed to be a sign that danger, or in my case potential heartbreak was on the way. He pointed at me, letting out a small chuckle in the same way that my previous two opponents had done. Although theirs seemed to be a little bit more nervous than the one that Darkhan was producing. His seemed much more confident. I simply shook my head nonchalantly, refusing to let his mind games get the better of me. I grabbed a hold of the two Poke Balls containing my chosen Pokemon. No prizes for guessing which two. I wasted little time launching them forward.

"Lairon and Gabite, let's do this!" I roared, battle-hungry. The Dragon and Steel type Pokemon appeared onto the Ice Field. They seemed a little uncomfortable standing on the cold surface. I knew that both of my opponents had a weakness to Ice Type Pokemon, but I figured that since Darkhan had already informed me of which two Pokemon he would be using, it seemed rather pointless to worry. But I seemed to question this due to the fact that his Absol was still stood beside him. Perhaps it was some sort of bluff. Darkhan raised his sword high above his head, before swinging the blade as hard as he possibly could. Two Poke Balls flew from the spine of the sword, releasing two Pokemon. Indeed, he had remained truthful. His Weezing and Espeon both appeared into view. The Weezing hovered several feet in the air, whilst the Espeon did not seem to be fazed at all by the ice surrounding its feet.

"Victory!" Darkhan roared, pointing his sword at me like he had done before. He seemed to be tempted to attack already, but he still had to wait for the official's instruction. The official swung his head both ways towards us. Everyone in the whole arena could tell that we did not need to confirm our readiness. The anticipation and determination in our eyes told him the answer that he wanted. He raised his flags to signal the beginning of the match. At long last, the match began.

"Shadow Ball! Zap Cannon!" Darkhan boomed with a much more serious and aggressive tone. I could hardly believe the response time of his two Pokemon. They both launched their attacks at the same time. The Zap Cannon heading for Lairon, the Shadow Ball for Gabite. I was a little stunned by this.

"Swap places!" I shouted. Gabite and Lairon seemed a little confused by my instruction at first. I noticed that the position of my Pokemon on the field left little place to escape. Three ice pillars seemed to box them in. And since Lairon was not the best vertical escape artist, I thought that this might be a good solution. Indeed it did, as the Zap Cannon has no effect at all on the Ground Type Gabite and a Shadow Ball did very little damage to Lairon. I was quite pleased that this had worked out so early on. However, Darkhan did not seem to be in too much distress. "Gabite, use Crunch on Espeon!" I ordered. As Lairon stood in wait, Gabite lunged forward at the Psychic Type, it's fangs gleaming a pale white before turning much darker as the attack began to build up.

"Psychic," Darkhan boomed a little quieter this time. Once again, as soon as the word had exit his mouth, the attack began. Espeon's eyes turned a pale shade of blue, glowing ominously. A strange aura engulfed Gabite, suspending it in mid-air. It had even stopped the Crunch attack from landing.

"Lairon, Iron Head on Espeon!" I yelled, hoping that Lairon would be able to make Espeon lose its focus. Lairon darted forward, its head lowered.

"Smokescreen!" Darkhan shouted back. The Weezing bolted forward, yet not at great speed. It shot out a cloud of darkness towards Lairon, shrouding it entirely. Espeon had emerged from the smoke and I noticed Gabite went flying backward, with Lairon's tackle still forcing it back. It seemed as though Lairon had lost sight of Espeon and instead hit Gabite. Possibly Espeon's psychic ability to manipulate Gabite's position caused this as well. The Smokescreen quickly dispersed, but I noticed Gabite was scorning Lairon viciously. Lairon protested in its language which I could not understand. But the jist of the argument was obvious. Both Pokemon got right up close to each other and began taunting each other.

"No!" I shouted almost as enraged as my Pokemon were. "This is most definitely not the time to be arguing!"

"Flamethrower! Shadow Ball!" Darkhan roared once again. Gabite and Lairon did not see the attacks coming due to their continuous argument. Both Pokemon took the attacks dead on, both forcing them to fall backward. "Psychic! Dark Pulse!" he boomed in addition. This time, the Espeon took a few steps forward before somehow lifting both my Pokemon into the air in separate positions. The Weezing floated up directly in the middle of them before its whole body turned into the darkest shade of black possible. Without delay, the darkness shot out from its body. As its normal, purple colour returned, the darkness struck Gabite and Lairon with devastating force. No sooner than the Dark Pulse attack connected, Espeon released its Psychic grip on the two. They crashed back down to the ice below. The damage had been done. I had not landed a single hit on either of his Pokemon yet, but I could tell that Gabite and Lairon were struggling. Not just against Darkhan's Pokemon, but also trying to fight their differences. They had to co-exist. They knew they had to, but with a rivalry as intense as theirs it was extremely difficult to do so.

"Come on!" I pleaded. "You've got to do this!" Both Pokemon weakly got back up to their feet, not without scowling at each other a little. They then looked back at the Espeon and Weezing, who seemed content with the performance that they had currently displayed. Darkhan himself showed little emotion, but I could tell he was feeling rather pleased with this situation. But it would not be for much longer. "Alright Gabite, prepare a Crunch on the Espeon. Lairon, run in front of it." Once again, both my allies seemed a little bit unsure about my instruction but fulfilled it nonetheless. Both Pokemon charged at Espeon. The Weezing floated down.

"Flamethrower!" Darkhan called once again. "Shadow Ball!" he added, as the two attacks headed right for Lairon. Now was my chance!

"Lairon, Protect now!" I ordered. Instantly, Lairon's steel hide formed a barrier around it. The Flamethrower and the Shadow Ball dispersed in opposite directions. "Now Gabite, go!" I yelled in excitement. Gabite clamped its jaws shut, the Crunch attack connecting against the Espeon, which seemed like it had taken a lot more damage from that attack than I would have thought. I figured that the Espeon must have been raised with great speed, but a poor defence."

"Not over!" Darkhan warned me with a sinister tone. "Morning Sun!" The Espeon then looked up at the sky, where the sun was shining brightly. It's soft, velvety coat began to shine brightly. The scratch marks it had sustained from Gabite's Crunch faded completely. It had healed itself. "Zap Cannon!" The Weezing fired another ball of electrical power directly at Lairon.

"Gabite, block it!" I shouted. Gabite quickly jumped over, allowing the Zap Cannon to connect with it. The electric attack dispersed once again from my Ground Type Dragon. "Use Dragon Claw on the Weezing!" I shouted. Gabite jumped up once again, its claws gleaming a pale green. But before the attack could connect…

"Iron Tail!" Darkhan shouted. Espeon leapt up with lightning fast speed and slammed its forked tail into the side of Gabite's head, knocking it down and almost out completely. But somehow, Gabite was able to get back up to its feet. I simply could not understand how Espeon could move so quickly. I knew that I would need to knock out at least one of them and quickly. And since the Espeon had the ability to heal itself using Morning Sun, I decided to implement what I had found out about Darkhan's Weezing during my momentary research session. It only seemed to use Long Ranged attacks, like Flamethrower, Zap Cannon and Dark Pulse. So I thought that if I could catch it off guard by going up close, that might do the trick. On the other hand, it could just launch its attacks directly at point blank range. But it did seem to be a little sluggish, so I decided to go with it. A reckless plan, perhaps. But it could well prove most effective.

"Lairon, Metal Burst on Weezing!" I shouted. "Gabite, use Dragon Claw!" With that, both Pokemon sprang into action. Lairon's Metal Burst did its job and connected massively against the Poison Pokemon. Gabite sprung up into the air, but rather than its claws glowing, it's whole body was covered by a light blue streak. It darted up towards Weezing and tackled it with overwhelming menace. The whole crowd gasped in awe. "That definitely wasn't Dragon Claw… did Gabite know how to use Dragon Rush this whole time?" I wondered to myself aloud. Weezing now seemed to have some serious trouble staying afloat in midair, the two powerful attacks both hitting their marks with perfect accuracy. "Gabite, finish it with Dragon Rush! Lairon, Iron Head on Espeon." Lairon quickly charged forward, slamming its head into the Espeon before it could do anything to counter Gabite's attack. Gabite enveloped itself in another blue streak of aura, before colliding head on with Weezing. Gabite victoriously landed back on the ground. Lairon seemed to glare at Gabite, almost jealous at its newfound power. I looked back up at the Weezing and was shocked more still to see that it was not going down. It had a dazed look in its eyes, but managed to shake the cobwebs away. Darkhan smirked.

"Psychic!" Darkhan sneered, this time it was quieter and a lot more conniving. In the same way that it had done before, the small-cat shaped Pokemon was able to lift Gabite and Lairon helplessly into the air. Both of them struggled frantically to try and escape Espeon's deadly grasp. "Selfdestruct!" Darkhan boomed with rage. The Weezing floated back up, right in front of the two Pokemon this time. It began to glow white, before resulting in a huge explosion, sending Gabite and Lairon crashing into some nearby ice pillars. Both of my Pokemon were badly hurt. I could not believe that this had happened. Darkhan had sacrificed his Weezing and at the same time caused my Pokemon to fall onto the brink of defeat. I noticed that his Absol had barely moved ever since it had appeared. I felt a little confused by this. But then I focused my attention back to Lairon and Gabite, who had hardly moved ever since the Selfdestruct.

"Weezing is no longer able to compete!" the official declared, as Darkhan withdrew the Poison Pokemon back into its Poke Ball before returning it into its slot on his sword. It was now a fully-powered Espeon versus an incredibly weakened Gabite and Lairon. That is of course unless the official declares them unable to battle. Although Gabite was the first to get to its feet, Lairon could not seem to keep its eyes off it. It seemed to growl in frustration. I could see a glint in its eye. It was a tear. Lairon was crying… or rather trying to hold in some form of deep distress. I jumped down onto the Ice Field from the podium and ran over to my Pokemon.

"Lairon… what's up buddy?" I asked, feeling unbelievably concerned for my friend. Lairon sniffed a little, before growling and glaring with eyes filled with tearful hatred at Gabite. "Oh…" I realised. "You think that Gabite is stronger than you, huh?" Lairon snarled in response. "Trust me, there may be things that Gabite can do better than you, but there are a lot of other things that you are better at than Gabite. I assure you, I don't care for you any less than Gabite or any of our Pokemon friends… Houndoom, Nidorino, Pelipper, Bayleef… we're all equal."

"Lair--," it sniffed, trying to hold back its emotion.

"Battle!" Darkhan demanded, angry that the match had to be cut short for the sake of Lairon's suffering.

"Look, just wait one moment," I called over briefly, before turning back to Lairon. Gabite did not seem to be particularly bothered by Lairon's anguish and seemed more concerned at getting its strength back. But I suddenly heard something that made me shudder.

"Shadow Ball Them All!" Darkhan roared in frustration. Espeon formed not one but three Shadow Balls simultaneously, before firing them straight at the three of us. Gabite could hardly move. I was frozen like a Buneary in the highlights. Lairon however had darted forward and began to form that same barrier of light over its skin. It was using Protect… to protect Gabite and I. I looked up to witness this incredible feat. Lairon somehow deflected all three Shadow Balls with one Protect. Lairon let out an enraged roar, before a blinding white light engulfed its whole body. "What!?" Darkhan exclaimed in disbelief.

"What's happening to Lairon?" I thought aloud once again, before realising what was actually happened. Even Gabite seemed to be completely flabbergasted by what it was witnessing. Darkhan's expression had gone from nothing into complete shock. The crowd almost seemed captivated by the spectacle being displayed due to Lairon's sudden release of emotion. The light began to shift and alter, forming into a more tall, monstrous shape. The light faded, to reveal that Lairon had disappeared. Albeit not entirely. It now had a new form. A bipedal lizard/rhinoceros monster that looked even more menacing and malicious than Lairon had done. It roared out its new name, proud of its awakened potential. I grinned with a newfound confidence before climbing back up onto the podium that I had jumped down from. "Now… shall we continue?" I smirked mockingly at Darkhan, who had calmed himself down a little now, patting his Absol on the head once again.

"Resume!" he chuckled back, menacingly.

"Very good," I nodded. "Ready, Gabite?" it nodded back to me, seemingly in awe at Lairon's new form. But there was no need for me to call the Pokemon 'Lairon' anymore… "You ready to win this, Aggron?"

"Aggro--n!" it roared confidently. I grinned once again. With Gabite's newly learned Dragon Rush and a powerful Aggron by my side, I now stood a fairly good chance of defeating Darkhan's persistant Espeon…

**TO BE CONTINUED**

_**Next Time:** Can the combined efforts of Gabite and Aggron overcome Darkhan's Espeon? And what will the reaction be for both of these trainers as this incredible match concludes?_


	19. Chapter 19

_Disclaimer: Like the previous chapters and every chapter to follow this one as well, I do not own Pokemon..._

**THE LEAGUE OF CHAMPIONS**

**CHAPTER 19: AGGRON'S NEWFOUND STRENGTH! LIGHT IN THE DARKNESS!**

Just a few moments ago, it seemed as though it had hit rock bottom. Negatively doubting its own abilities and threatening our victorious goal. However, in a blinding rage of emotions, ranging from sadness, jealousy and desire it achieved something truly remarkable. No longer did it feel miniscule compared to his peers. He had evolved into an Aggron and not a moment too soon. But the reasons for his evolution seemed to lie a little bit deeper than a simple rivalry with an equally strong ally. It had put itself in the line of danger and acted on impulse to keep us out of harms way. Perhaps it was an act of respect for both me and, possibly in a more secretive manner, Gabite. It had been able to withstand a powerful explosion caused by Weezing's suicidal Selfdestruct move and not to mention take some punishment from the Espeon's Psychic attacks to boot. Of course, it was not only Aggron who was putting in a valiant effort, Gabite was also proving itself as a fighter. However, Lairon's evolution into it's final form seemed to overshadow all of Gabite's efforts in this match thus far. Perhaps that is what Aggron wanted. But as I said to him when he was still a Lairon, I do not like a Pokemon more than another. They are all equal favourites. And every Pokemon is stronger than another in at least one aspect, no matter what type you are, which region you come from or how far up the evolutionary line you are. I continued to stare out onto the Ice Field. Now, only my opponent's Espeon remained. It seemed to be quite relaxed, relishing the sunlight that was beaming down on the field. I still could not quite understand how the Ice had not yet begun to melt. It was now time finish this battle off. All we had to do was pick off that Espeon. The one thing that it seemed to surpass both my Pokemon at was its speed. It could launch an attack almost in the blink of an eye. I would have to make good use of my two-to-one advantage, although Gabite seemed to be on the brink of exhaustion. Aggron however seemed to have gained a second wind since evolving. The one thing that continued to distract me a little was the Absol that had not moved since joining Darkhan's side. It was almost as though it was fixated on the battle. I had little time to worry about this. I had to get this over with and fast.

"One remaining," Darkhan smirked, even though he had already ordered his Weezing to use a suicidal move. "Two next." I assumed that his limited vocabulary was implying that he had a plan to beat me. I huffed a small chuckle, unimpressed at his comment.

"I highly doubt that," I replied coldly. "Let's go for a Shock Wave, Aggron. Gabite, use Dragon Rush!" Aggron stretched a little before firing a much larger bolt of electricity than it had done as a Lairon at Espeon. The attack hit with one hundred per cent accuracy, not to mention with a lot more power. Espeon seemed almost stunned by the attack, but was flung back into some icy wreckage as Gabite connected its menacing Dragon Rush move to its face.

"Morning Sun!" Darkhan smiled, as Espeon relished the gleaming sunshine. Once again, it's purple fur glistened, the scrapes caused by the two attacks fading into nothing. I chuckled at this.

"You know, you can't keep using Morning Sun for the rest of the…"

"Shadow Ball! Iron Tail!" Darkhan shouted. Espeon bounded forward, firing a large ball of dark purple energy from its mouth at Gabite, smashing it with surprise in the face. In the same movement, it leapt into the air and somersaulted forward. It's forked tail filled with silver before throwing its tail down towards Aggron.

"Protect!" I shouted. Aggron raised its arm to block the attack, but there was no armoury of light protecting it like it had done before. The attack landed with quite some force, although Aggron didn't seem to take that much damage. "Huh? Why didn't Protect work?"

"Repetition," Darkhan shook his head in an almost mocking manner. I then remembered that Protect is liable to fail when used repeatedly in succession. Either that, or Aggron had not quite got used to it's new, bulkier body. "Psychic!" Darkhan ordered once again. Espeon's eyes began to glow. Gabite began to rise from the ground, as did Aggron.

"Shock Wave!" I shouted. Aggron quickly launched another high voltage charge at Espeon, knocking it to the ground. Gabite and Aggron both dropped, but landed on their feet. Gabite seemed to be having a lot of trouble keeping itself upright on the ice. I knew that it was not fond of the cold, but I didn't realise that it was actually causing it this much grief up until now. Aggron, once again was coping a lot better. I had to think of a way to get Gabite off the ice.

"Aggron, let Gabite stand on your shoulders," I suggested, coming up with a rather cunning plan. Aggron looked over to Gabite and for some reason obliged without so much as a snarl. Although it did let out an almost humoured growl. Gabite managed to get atop of his shoulders and seemed to feel relieved not to have the cold on his feet anymore. "Aggron, use Iron Head and Gabite use Crunch!" Aggron began to charge forward, with Gabite bearing its fangs ready to strike. They approached closer, when suddenly…

"Shadow Ball Ice!" boomed Darkhan with a sinister grin. Espeon jumped into the air once again and launched another Shadow Ball at Aggron and Gabite. The attack did not hit them, rather the ice on which they were standing. It cracked the ice all across the arena, before a large portion gave way right where Gabite and Aggron were placed. Both Pokemon fell into the icy water that lay beneath the thick ice on which they were battling. I gasped with disbelief as both Gabite and Aggron had now vanished underwater. "End!" Darkhan smirked contently. The official leaned forward with his flag at the ready. He began to raise it, when suddenly an explosion happened right around Espeon's feet. It too had fallen into the cold water. Eventually, Gabite burst up onto a floating piece of icy flotsam and jetsam. It dragged Aggron up with it, before dropping down onto the platform, its body no longer able to keep going.

"Gabite can no longer battle! This battle is now between Aggron and Espeon!" the official raised his flag in my direction. I was dumbstruck. How on earth did Gabite manage to haul Aggron out of the water with what little strength it had left. Aggron managed to get back onto its feet, before looking at the exhausted Gabite. He was fully aware that Gabite had saved him from either fainting or worst still, drowning. He grabbed Gabite by its dorsal fin and pulled it back up to its feet. It held Gabite forward, as if to tell me to return it to it's Poke Ball straight away. I nodded to it as if we understood each other. Gabite disappeared back into its Poke Ball as a beam of red light. Aggron turned back to the water, where there was still no sign of the Espeon. Perhaps it had fainted underwater… I didn't want that to happen really for fear of it's own safety. Suddenly, I noticed that some of the icy debris was beginning to rise up from the water and began to hurtle straight for Aggron.

"Protect!" I shouted, hoping that this time it would work. Aggron raised it's arms in front of its face, before its skin began to fill with a multicoloured barrier. The ice simply bounced off from his body. I could see the Espeon had risen out of the water using its own Psychic attack, before healing itself again with Morning Sun. I frowned. This was getting a little bit to repetitive for my liking. I wondered where the original explosion had come from… I thought the it must have been Gabite's Dragon Rush, which could be how it managed to lift Aggron out of the water as well. I then had an idea as to how I could finally end this. All I had to do was get Espeon back in the water…

"Aggron, use Shock Wave!" I shouted. Aggron sent another large bolt of electricity towards Espeon. It struck it by the feet, knocking it off balance but not off the icy platform that it had landed on. "Again!" I ordered as he fired another bolt at the Espeon. This time it managed to crack the platform that it was on and it dropped helplessly into the water. "Now we gotcha! Shock Wave on the water, maximum power!" Aggron began to charge possibly the most intense Shock Wave it had ever delivered. But all of a sudden, a blast of energy surged through the arena. It headed right for Aggron, slamming into it with brutal force. "What the hell!?" I exclaimed in shock. "Where did that come from?"

"Future Sight," Darkhan replied, still stroking the back of his Absol's head.

"But when did that Espeon use Future Sight?" I questioned. "I never even heard you order it to use such a move…" Darkhan simply smirked, his Absol still wasn't moving. "Unless… that Absol…" I gasped loudly.

"Negative!" Darkhan suddenly bellowed angrily. "Not Cheat!" he snarled angrily. His Absol nodded in agreement. And for some reason I believed him.

"Alright, I'm sorry," I replied. It wasn't as though it was difficult to come to this deduction. I mean the guy is dressed entirely in black, carries a sword and has one of the most bizaare personalities I had seen since meeting Harley. But nonetheless, I took his word for it and focused once again on the battle. Espeon was now clinging onto an icy platform. Now I knew how to finish this battle. "Metal Burst!" I shouted as Aggron shook of the effects of the delayed Future Sight attack. It roared aggressively before releasing its power against the Espeon, striking it hard. The Espeon squealed in pain before hurling towards the water.

"Stop," Darkhan called. At first I thought he was addressing me. That was until I noticed that Espeon had somehow landed on top of the water. An aura of purple energy had formed a ball around it and kept it from falling into the water, simply hovering a couple of inches from the surface. The power that this Espeon was exerting was absolutely immense. I could hardly believe that even after all the punishment it had taken, it was still able to hold itself in the air with its psychic strength. "Psychic!" Darkhan ordered again. Espeon landed on an icy formation that had yet to be surrounded by water, before sending the purple aura around Aggron, lifting it upward once again.

"Shock Wave!" I shouted, using the same tactic as I had done previously. Aggron quickly sent yet another bolt of electricity at Espeon before it could lift it too far from the ground. It struck the Psychic Pokemon in the chest, knocking it down and loosening Psychic's grip. Aggron landed heavily forming another crack in the ice on which it was standing. The ice had melted significantly now. Only a few strong icebergs and some floating icy debris remained amongst the bitterly cold water…

Bitterly cold water…

…That gave me an idea…

"Morning Sun!" Darkhan ordered once again. The Espeon quickly looked to the sky, it's velvety fur beginning to shimmer once again.

"Not this time! Aggron, Water Pulse on the water!" I shouted, desperate that this idea would work. Aggron lowered its head down toward the melted ice. A blue orb began to grow and expand in front of it's face before thrashing his head downward. The orb of water formed with that in the icy pool creating a large tidal wave heading right for the Espeon, which was still attempting to heal itself with Morning Sun. The wave ominously approached my opponent. I clenched my fist, anticipating for the attack to strike.

"Dodge!" Darkhan shouted with the opposite desperation as I had. Espeon seemed to look around, but there was nowhere for it to run. The giant wave swept Espeon from where it was stood and back into the icy water below. Darkhan's face finally began to display signs of concern. I punched the air, wanting to finish the match this instant.

"One more Shock Wave, the biggest one you've got in you!" I ordered. My Aggron once again let out a roar, before firing the powerful bolt of electricity into the water. A bright yellow light filled the icy pool. A sight which was awe inspiring to myself as well as Darkhan, not to mention the crowd too. A few moments later, the light faded and a defeated Espeon floated up to the surface. My grin grew even wider as the official raised the flag to end the match at long last.

"Espeon cannot continue this battle. The victory goes to Aggron and his trainer, Jonathyn Christian from Azalea Town!"

The crowd erupted into cheered as I dived down onto the icy platform on which Aggron was roaring in celebration, I jumped up and swung my arms around his neck, hugging him with congratulatory gratitude.

"Aggron, thank you!" I almost squeaked with delight.

"Aggro—n!" It happily growled back victoriously. Everyone in the entire arena seemed be applauding for me, with the exception of Darkhan, who had called lifted his Espeon out of the cold water and cradled it caringly in his arms. He seemed to glare at me vengefully, but soon smiled and nodded his head almost respectfully. I could hear him say something over the uproar of the crowd.

"Disaster," he muttered, stroking his Absol on the head once again. I raised an eyebrow at this as he turned his back and walked back towards the tunnel that he had entered from. I did not quite know what to make of this, but shrugged as Aggron and I made our way off of what was left of the Ice Field. We both waved to the crowd as we made our exit. As soon as we were out of sight of the crowd, I turned to Aggron, holding its Poke Ball in my hand.

"You take a good rest, Aggron," I smiled. It seemed to smile at me with its reptilian mouth, as it disappeared in a red beam of light back into the sphere.

"That was quite a battle," a female voice said to me. I turned around to greet it warmly.

"Thanks," I replied. I looked at the girl. I did not recognise her, though. She had long, wavy light-brown hair that shined in the same sort of way that Darkhan's Espeon's fur had done. She was dressed entirely in pink, including a little pink cowboy-like hat. She seemed to blush at me as I looked at her. She had a sweet face, even though it had turned a bright shade of red. "Uhh… you okay?" I asked as she giggled playfully.

"Sorry," she squeaked. "It's just that you're the one who beat my cousin in the first round."

"What? You mean Carl whats-his-name?" I shrugged. "The guy with the Rhyhorn?"

"Yeah, that's right!" the girl smiled. "He was bragging about how he was going to win the whole thing. At least you brought him back into reality a little bit. Oh, I'm sorry, my name is Mimi. I come from Saffron City."

"Nice to meet you," I bowed politely. "I'm Jonathyn Chri…"

"I know who you are, silly," she giggled. "They just announced your name to thousands of people. Jonathyn Christian, born in Azalea Town."

"You're well informed," I sarcastically chuckled. "So, what brings you to the end of the tunnel?"

"I'm battling next!" Mimi jumped up and down immaturely. "I've got my trusty Pokemon raring to go! I can't wait!"

"Well good luck to you," I smiled, a little vainly. "I've got to get my Gabite and Aggron to the Pokemon Centre."

"Take care," she squeaked again, trying to hide her embarrassment. I made light of it and carried on walking down the corridor towards the Trainer Lounge. I sat down at the locker which had my name and identification number above it. Although I had no real business there, I took a seat and sighed a little, weary from battle.

"You did well out there, Jonathyn. I'm impressed," came another female voice. This one I recognised.

"Thanks, Cynthia," I politely replied once again. "So are you battling on this field too?"

"That's right," Cynthia nodded. "I've got my third round battle next just like you have done and my opponent looks quite tough. By the way, I saw how your Lairon evolved into an Aggron. Congratulations, although I do question its motivation."

"Huh… what do you mean by that?" I asked, trying not to sound argumentative.

"Well, I know how your Gabite and Lairon were rivals. And since they battled side by side, I just wonder whether Lairon evolved due to the fact that it wanted to help you win, whether it was the right time or simply to demean Gabite. I mean for Gabite to see Lairon evolve into an Aggron and then do that much damage is hardly something that would make you happy when the rivalry is as intense as theirs."

"I see your point, Cynthia," I began. "But Gabite dragged Aggron out of the icy water just before it fainted. I don't think it would have done that if it was jealous."

"Don't you think that Gabite did that as a gesture to say that it wasn't going to be intimidated by Aggron's new power?" Cynthia replied back. "Gabite took the fall for Aggron, but then again it may have done that simply as it knew it did not have much strength left to continue. The whole thing seems a little out of the ordinary… but it's not my place to predict the feelings of your Pokemon. After all, you are the one closest to them, right?"

"Yeah…" I mumbled a reply, deep in thought about what Cynthia had just said. "Sorry, I don't mean to sound so abrupt."

"No problem," Cynthia smiled. "They're not selecting the Round 4 opponents until later, so what are you going to do until then?"

"If you're battling, I might sit and watch your match," I replied. "Can I be honest with you about something?"

"Sure," Cynthia smiled. "What is it?"

"Out of all the trainers that I have met so far, you are the only one that I am intimidated by."

"Wh-What?" Cynthia seemed to laugh a little a this, but I kept a serious expression held on my face.

"You heard," I replied coldly. "I saw what your Garchomp did to Darkhan's Crobat and Weezing. And sure, I know Paul is strong as well, but you are the current Sinnoh Champion and have been champion of Hoenn and Johto as well. Not that I don't want us to meet in battle, but I am going to train a lot harder now that I know how serious my competition is." Cynthia fell silent for a moment.

"You should train to become as strong as you can be," Cynthia replied. "Do not let fear and intimidation get the better of your skills. I feel no need to fear my opponents. I feel the need to respect them as trainers. Whether I win or I lose, as long as I have done my best for my Pokemon, that is all that matters to me."

"Cynthia…" I stopped as she looked at me. "… nothing… I'll see you later," I quickly grabbed hold of my bag which had slipped off my shoulder. I did not look back at Cynthia, I just kept walking, trying to get some negative thoughts out of my mind. I head for the desk of the Pokemon Centre area in the lobby, before wondering what to do next with myself. No sooner than I had given in my Pokemon's Poke Balls to the Nurse Joy on duty when I felt a pair of lips peck my cheek softly. I quickly turned, almost in fright. I was relieved to see Misty, who was now by herself. "What are you doing here?"

"What? Can't I come and see my boyfriend after he's won such a great battle?" Misty giggled.

"Uhh… yeah, but… what about Ash?" I asked.

"What about him?" Misty tilted her head at me.

"You know… yesterday, you and him were together and…"

"Jonathyn, let's talk about this outside," Misty suggested to me. I looked back at the Nurse Joy, who quickly bobbed her head acknowledging that I was leaving my Pokemon behind for now. We walked out of the busy lobby and directly left, where there were some picnic benches vacant in a small patch of grass closed off by a picket fence. There was no-one but a couple of youngsters playing with a young Pichu and their parents not too far from them. Idealistically, we sat at the furthest table away from them on opposite sides so we could face one another. Misty gestured for me to sit down. I did so, clasping my hands together with my elbows resting on the wooden surface. Misty looked at me and held my hand comfortingly. "Look, there is something that I need to say to you… the way that you seem to perceive this is that I am only going out with you because you reminded me of Ash. Where that may be the case to some extent, I don't see how you can think that just because he's suddenly come back means that I'm going to turn my back on you. I told you how I felt about you, Jonathyn. And you should trust me with this…"

"What do you mean trust you?" I asked with a puzzled look. "I do trust you. I just thought that he is the guy that you really wanted to be with."

"If I really wanted to be with him, I wouldn't be going out with you now would I?" she blinked at me sweetly. I smiled a little. "Besides," she turned a little glum. "I found out he's got a girlfriend."

"He has?" I grinned with total delight, before quickly lowering my expression before Misty noticed. "Do you know her?"

"No, I've never met her," she replied. "But she's called Anabel, by all accounts…"

"Well at least he is happy," I sighed before looking at Misty's almost disappointed face. "But then again, I'm happy to be with you." Misty looked up at me and smiled before leaning over the table and kissing me on the lips softly. The kiss went on for what seemed like a long time, but it was in reality only a few seconds. "So, what do you want to do now?" I asked as we pulled away from each other momentarily.

"I don't know," Misty blankly replied. "Brock and Ash have gone back to their hotel for the day now. I think Ash wanted to change a couple of Pokemon of his, so I guess it is just you and me."

"I was thinking about going to watch Cynthia's battle… you fancy that?" I suggested to her, looking at the large amount of people piling into the building once again.

"Sounds good to me," Misty smiled, kissing me again on the lips. "Don't you have to pick an opponent first?"

"Not this time," I shook my head. "They're doing the draws after everyone has finished battling."

"Fair enough," she smiled, standing up and walking back past the youngsters, who had now frozen solid. Their Drifloon was covered in a sticky white silk, struggling to free itself. Misty's face turned white as an Ariados lowered itself into view, not far from her face. She let out a petrified scream, before cowering behind me. A lot of people had turned around to see what all the commotion was about.

"Ariados, what have I told you about running off like that?" a familiar voice tutted disapprovingly. "You're going to end up hurting yourself…" the man suddenly stopped in front of us and began to crease up a little upon noticing that Misty and I were holding hands. "So… the lovely young couple out for a midday stroll, huh?"

"For your information, Harley," I began with a mocking sneer, "We do happen to be dating now…"

"My my," Harley sarcastically gasped. "What a whirlwind relationship that's bound to be. I'd hate to see your kids."

"You WHAT!?" Misty roared with rage. I held her back as she tried to swing for him.

"Misty, don't rise to the bait," I sighed to her. "It's not worth it."

"Not worth it?" Harley frowned. "Well excuse me, but didn't I beat your little Lairon and Gabite the last time we met?"

"You can hardly call that a win," I frowned back. "And besides, Lairon evolved just now. Didn't you see?"

"Unfortunately not. I have better things to do when I'm not battling than making out with trash like that."

"WHAT YOU SAY!?" Misty roared once again.

"Take that back about her, Harley," I snarled. "You'll regret it if you don't. And besides, I don't see YOU with a girlfriend."

"Please, girls are so icky!" he cringed. "My passion is Pokemon, I have no need for a relationship."

"Whatever you say, Ginger Beer," I muttered contemptuously.

"What did you just call me?" Harley suddenly scowled.

"Ginger Beer…" I replied. "You're a Ginger Beer with purple hair dressed up as a Cacturne. You're not exactly the straightest line on the track…" Harley simply glared at me, calling back his Ariados before walking off in a huff.

"You nasty little stink!" Harley blowed a raspberry at me. "I'll teach you a lesson you'll never forget once of these days…" I thought about giving him the finger in return, but there were children present so I decided against it. Harley walked back into the Indigo Plateau, my eyes not losing sight of the annoying fool until he had entered the building.

"What a jerk," Misty growled. "But still at least he's gone now. Shall we go on in?"

"Sure thing," I nodded, still holding her hand. We followed in Harley's footsteps, walking towards the entrance of the building. Hopefully we would not bump into him again too soon…

**TO BE CONTINUED**

_**Next Time:** Cynthia battles an unusual opponent, as Jonathyn and Misty end up sitting in front of one of their most recent rivals. But just who is Cynthia truly battling?_


	20. Chapter 20

_Disclaimer: I don't own Pokemon... when are you people going to realise that!?_

_MESSAGE TO READERS: Another quick update here, since I'm doing a lot of work on the next chapter. It's proving quite difficult to maintain such a standard that some of you claim that I am making. Many thanks to all of you who have reviewed so far and to all that are reading with interest. Also on a side not, there's a little private joke somewhere in this chapter. If you find it, give yourself a cookie. So, without further delay... go grab a lemonade or something, kick back and enjoy!_

* * *

**THE LEAGUE OF CHAMPIONS**

**CHAPTER 20: DECEPTION ON THE BATTLE FIELD! THE COLLECTOR'S ALLIANCE!**

I was marvelled by the fact that Aggron and Gabite, along with my other four Pokemon had been fully healed in such a short space of time. I gratefully received them back from the ever pleasant Nurse Joy. I could hear cheers coming from the Ice Field, the closest battlefield to us. The Indigo Plateau used to have only five arenas, now it had six. I suppose that due to the overwhelming number of trainers advancing through to the preliminaries, the Pokemon League directors must have decided to add an extra round. I knew of the four "natural fields", which were Grass, Water, Ice and Rock. Apparently there was a fifth elemental battle area, but I had no idea what sort it could be. Then of course, there was the traditional battling grid found in the last arena, which was not used until the last sixteen participants had advanced. It would be on that battlefield that a champion would be crowned. I liked the idea of lifting the Pokemon League Trophy, but I knew of the rivals that were also trying to claim that coveted prize. Some had already fallen, such as Misty. I had almost forgotten how Paul managed to defeat her in the Water Stadium, but the thought of that arrogant brat made me shudder a little. Misty seemed to drag me up the steps into the stadium, where it was packed to the rafters with people. Misty looked around and managed to point out two vacant seats near the front. We made a small dash to them, claiming them easily. I looked out at the battlefield and was amazed that it had been reconstructed so quickly and professionally. The Pokemon League Tournament took a heck of a lot of organising and it seems as though the officials have thought of everything. A battle was currently going ahead, although not the battle I had come to see. It was between two female trainers. One of them I recognised from earlier, having bumped into her in the corridor directly after my match. Mimi, I seemed to recall was her name. Her opponent was a girl that I did not recognise at all. I looked up at the screen displaying the battle statistics. It seemed to be a 3 on 3 battle and both trainers only had one Pokemon remaining.

"Who's that Pokemon?" I asked Misty in a goofy voice, pointing down to the small Pokemon in front of Mimi. It looked like a dog to some extend, yet it stood on its hind legs and seemed to have a constant hold of its tail. It's head seemed to resemble a beret of some sort, almost like a painter's cap.

"That's a Smeargle," Misty answered. "It's capable of learning any known move, so it's a very valuable Pokemon."

"Wow… a Pokemon that can learn any move?" I gasped in awe. "That'd be awesome." I looked down at the beagle-like Pokemon, who had yet to attack since I had noticed it. I looked over to see what Pokemon it was facing, which happened to be a tall, blue bird like creature with a bill similar to one of Misty's Pokemon. "That Golduck looks pretty strong too," I added. Finally something began to happen. The Golduck had been ordered to attack. It's head began to glow purple as it charged toward the Smeargle. It smashed into it at incredible speed. "Wow… Zen Headbutt!" I smiled, recognising the move. Misty simply tutted at me as if I was a child, before laughing a little. The Smeargle had got back up to its feet. "I wonder what moves it already knows?" I wondered aloud. The Smeargle's tail began to glow, before turning completely black and firing a pulse of dark energy straight at the Duck Pokemon.

"Dark Pulse causes a lot of damage to a Psychic type like Golduck," Misty informed me, although I already knew this. The Golduck did not yet fall in defeat as it got back up to its feet and held its claw-like hands up to its head, seemingly focusing on the crimson gem on its forehead. It then launched a massive beam of energy at the Smeargle. Mimi sent a rapid direction to it. It's tail began to glow once again, firing a Hyper Beam of its own at the Golduck's. Both attacks collided and exploded on impact. The crowd began to confer, wondering which Pokemon would still be standing once the cloud of smoke had dispersed. It took a while, but both Pokemon were still on their feet, breathing heavily. I had heard that Hyper Beam was a move that drained a lot of energy from the user, so I tried to refrain from using it in battle unless things were desperate. The Golduck sent another attack forward towards Mimi's Smeargle, this time a Water Pulse. After another instruction from its trainer, the Smeargle raised its fingers and began to wave them back and forth. A move I recognised instantly. "Metronome!?" I was taken aback by this tactic. "This is a bit of a gamble so late on in the battle."

"That's definitely true," Misty replied. "I wonder if she can pull it off?" Her question was answered quickly as the Smeargle began to run forward, covering itself in a blur of electric yellow as it ran. It slammed into the Golduck with ferocious force.

"Volt Tackle! Perfect!" I whooped, happy that Mimi's gamble had succeeded. The Golduck was down and out. The Smeargle, although down to one knee was victorious. I could see the official raise his flag in Mimi's direction.

"And what a turn around! After losing her first two Pokemon straight away, Mimi's Smeargle defeated Katie's Walrein, Scizor and Golduck in a stunning comeback! Make some noise for this round's winner, Mimi from Saffron City and her Smeargle!" The crowd cheered and applauded her efforts as she happily waved to her fans. She let out a loving wink to a nearby cameraman, who seemed to blush a little at this gesture. Mimi disappeared down the tunnel that I had left from about twenty minutes or half an hour earlier. "We will be hosting the next battle in just a few moments from now, so don't go anywhere!" the announcer called out. Some people had left their seats already, whether or not they were going to return for the match I wasn't sure. I turned to face Misty, who was watching the defeated trainer leave the arena before turning to face me.

"So, what are you going to do when this is all over?" Misty asked me. I replied bluntly with a shrug. "I wanted to go to Johto again and compete in the Whirl Cup."

"What's the Whirl Cup?" I asked with a confused look.

"Have you ever been to the Whirl Islands?" Misty asked me. I shook my head without saying a word once again. "There are these four islands near Cianwood City surrounded by giant whirlpools. On one of the islands, they hold a tournament for trainers that only allow Water Type Pokemon to battle. I entered once before, but failed to get beyond the semi-finals."

"I'm not sure that I'd have enough Water Type Pokemon," I chuckled. "I mean, I've got Pelipper, although I don't use it for battle as much as the likes of Houndoom, Gabite or Lairon… sorry…Aggron." Misty laughed at the fact that I still called Aggron by it's pre-evolutionary name. "I can't help it, I'm so used to calling it Lairon," I explained.

"It's okay," Misty snickered once again. "So is Pelipper your only Water Type or do you have others?"

"Well, I do have a Quagsire that I caught when I was travelling through my homeland. And like most people from Azalea Town, I have a Slowpoke although my Slowpoke mainly wanders around the house and sleeps on a day to day basis."

"You ought to come with me," Misty smiled.

"What? Why?" I stammered.

"Because you're my boyfriend," Misty replied. "And I want to spend time with you beyond this tournament. When this is over, we could end up taking different paths and I don't want that to happen."

"I guess I never really thought about what I would do afterwards. But that sounds like a good idea. I can visit my family again as well…"

"Then it's settled," Misty smiled. "We'll head to the Whirl Islands together."

"Sure," I smiled. Misty kissed me on the lips softly, as if thanking me for joining her.

"Oh, stop it. You're going to make me heave," came a voice from behind us. We both turned to see that Harley had filled a formerly vacant seat. I showed a face of grimace.

"What do you want, Ginger?" I mocked.

"Don't get shirty with me, hun," Harley snickered. "I simply want to watch my darling Cynthia electrify this crowd."

"Darling Cynthia?" I laughed. "I thought you said you had no time for girls."

"Don't be silly, silly," he chuckled. "Cynthia and I go back a long way. I met her in my hometown of Slateport City in Hoenn. We have been in touch ever since."

"Well good for you," Misty scowled sarcastically.

"No need to have a hissy-fit, missy," Harley once again let out a small chuckle.

"Could you just leave us alone for a while?" she asked sternly.

"Now, now," Harley wagged his finger, femininely swinging one leg over his other to get more comfortable. "No need to worry. I'm here to watch a battle and that's what I intend to do."

"Good," Misty huffed, turning her attention away from Harley and back to the arena, where an official had now stepped forward to the edge of the battlefield.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, thank you for your patience. We are now ready to begin the next battle!" the announcer delightfully informed. "This battle is sure to produce a lot of surprises, so stay alert. You won't want to miss a single second of the action. So what are we waiting for? It is my pleasure to introduce to you the two combatants in this battle. First, the red trainer. A real gentlemen of a trainer, who battles for more than just a victory. He battles to keep his pride and his dignity, but we have yet to see him falter so far. Please welcome, from Celadon City here in Kanto, Jamison!" I saw a man walk out through the furthest tunnel to the left. He was of average height, wearing a brown hat that matched his suit. He had a thick, black moustache that looked a little bit strange. His hair was quite gray, although I could see some small blue blotches dotted around the place. He politely waved to the crowd as he walked forward towards his podium, using a walking stick as he progressed. "And now his opponent, the green trainer. She is regarded as the most powerful trainer in Sinnoh and had also been the champion on at least one occasion in the regions of Hoenn and Johto. Now, she has come to Kanto to try her skills. And to be honest, things are looking up for this young girl's future. Please make your voices heard for Cynthia of Celestic Town!" Cynthia then appeared from the opposite corner, not looking at the crowd. She simply had a confident smile etched on her face. She stepped onto her podium, which raised up at the same time as the red one. The official stepped forward.

"This will be a three-on-three Pokemon battle with no time limit. Trainers can switch their Pokemon at any time. Are you both ready?" Cynthia nodded, as did the gentlemen named Jamison. "Begin the match!" the official shouted, raising the flags in his hands. Both Cynthia and Jamison threw their Poke Balls forward. From Jamison's appeared an orange winged lizard that I had seen recently. Not the same one of course, but one of it's species. From Cynthia's Poke Ball emerged a Pokemon that looked like a dog that had the ability to walk on its hind legs. It was blue and black in colour, with a yellow chest with a tiny spike-like feature sticking out from it. I had never seen a real Lucario before, but this one seemed to emanate a lot of power. Then again, the Charizard was hardly weak-looking.

"Charizard has a huge advantage over Lucario," Misty whispered to me. She was so quiet that I barely heard what she said. "Charizard is a Flying Fire type, whereas Lucario is a Fighting Steel Type. It's got two weaknesses for it to exploit." Despite this though, I noticed that Cynthia had ordered her Lucario to attack. It formed a ball of silvery blue energy in its hands and then blasted it forward towards the dragon-like Charizard. The attack missed by inches, as the Charizard sent a wide burst of small flames that shot rapidly towards the Lucario. Some missed, melting some of the ice. However, the ones that did hit Lucario seemed to scorch its skin. It still stood strong, firing another Aura Sphere into the Overheat attack towards the Charizard. This time, the attack connected. The dragon stumbled back, but got back up to its feet and flew up into the air. It performed some aerial acrobatics, before the Aerial Ace hit its mark. Lucario toppled over, but did not give up.

"Looks like they're evenly matched early on," I muttered to Misty.

"Go Cynthia! Show that silly old man who's boss!" Harley cheered, shouting almost right down my ear hole. I turned to him and gave him a bit of a stern look, although he only sneered back at me. I returned my attention back to the match, staring on with great interest. The Charizard had dodged another Aura Sphere, before firing a stream of flame, this time in the form of a Flamethrower attack straight at Lucario. However this time, Lucario evaded the attack by performing a backwards flip. I was incredibly impressed at the way that the Lucario managed to do this without slipping on the icy surface of the battlefield. Cynthia then ordered her Lucario to use a move which looked a little familiar. It looked almost identical to Dark Pulse, yet the energy used was more a dark green and purple colour.

"What move is that?" I asked Misty, amazed as the attack landed on the Charizard, doing significant damage.

"I think it's called Dragon Pulse," she replied unsurely.

"It looks pretty cool!" I wowed at the move. "I wonder if I could teach it to Gabite or something…"

"Drinks… get your drinks here!" I heard a female voice call out. I raised my hand, turning to the woman. She had long, purplish hair that I recognised from somewhere, but I wasn't entirely sure where from. "Oh…" she gasped, before regaining her composure. "What can I get for you? Soda Pop? Cherrim Coke?"

"Uhh… can I get a Lemonade?" I asked, still trying to figure out where I recognised this woman from.

"Certainly," she smiled a bit weirdly, quickly passing me a can of lemonade. "Kick back and enjoy!" she grinned, quickly moving onto her next customer.

"Hang on. Don't I need to pay for this?" I looked at the woman with an odd look. She laughed a little bit hysterically.

"How silly of me! That'll be a dollar…" I passed her the note. She quickly nabbed it out of my hand before bolting it up the steps and back into the lobby area.

"Weird…" I mumbled to myself. All of a sudden, the crowd let out a huge gasp. I quickly jerked my head back towards where the action was happening and noticed that the Charizard was now laying in a pile of icy rubble. I did not know what had happened, but I wondered whether or not the Dragon Pulse had something to do with it.

"That Lucario's Psychic is more powerful than you would expect! And using it to follow up its Dragon Pulse is a combination that any Pokemon Co-Ordinator would be drooling over!" the announcer roared.

"Oh… so that's what happened," I chuckled. The attack had not knocked the Fire Pokemon out, but the Gentleman had still ordered the Pokemon to return to its Poke Ball. For his second Pokemon, a blue blob-like Pokemon appeared. Cynthia's eyes seemed to widen at the sight of this Pokemon. I recognised it as a Wobbuffet. Some members of the crowd winced at the sight of it.

"This could be Jamison's trump card," the announcer predicted. "Wobbuffet can counter almost any attack with twice the power." I looked on, as Cynthia had ordered her Pokemon to attack with another Dragon Pulse. No sooner than attack hit Wobbuffet that it bounced back, striking Lucario in the chest knocking it down. Even though Dragon Type moves don't do much to a Steel Type like Lucario, it still seemed to have the wind knocked out of it by the impact of its own move. The Lucario sent forth another attack, this time a Psychic Attack. But just like before, the attack was sent right back to the user. It had been surrounded by its own Psychic power. Lucario fell backward, defeated.

"Lucario is unable to battle. This round goes to Wobbuffet!" the official raised a flag in Cynthia's direction. I was a little bit stunned at the fact that Cynthia, who I had considered near unbeatable, had lost a Pokemon so early on in the match. This gentleman Jamison really seemed to know what he was doing. Cynthia sent out here second Pokemon, which I recognised immediately… her formidable Garchomp. It seemed to dislike the cold on its feet in the same way that my Gabite had done, although it did not display its discomfort as obviously. The Garchomp suddenly burst forward as blue streaks of energy surrounded its body. The Wobbuffet seemed to flinch just as the Dragon Rush connected, causing major damage. The Wobbuffet did not stand a chance as Garchomp managed to maintain the momentum of its attack, heading for a second connection. Wobbuffet seemed to send a purple shadow of some sort in front of Garchomp. The attack connected, but the impact seemed to be far less forceful than it had been before. The Wobbuffet was knocked down once again, but its trainer seemed a little frustrated that it had got up.

"What's that all about?" I muttered.

"Are you blind as well as dumb?" Harley tooted in a silly voice. "The Gentleman there had his Wobbuffet use Destiny Bond. If it had fainted from that last attack, then Cynthia's cute Garchomp would have gone down with it! Perish the thought!"

"So Cynthia had her Garchomp hit it lighter to stop it from fainting, rendering Destiny Bond worthless."

"But if Wobbuffet uses Destiny Bond now, it could take out Garchomp straight away," Misty for some reason seemed to show some concern. "It looks as though it could fall down in a breeze."

"I guess she'll just have to wait for the perfect opportunity," I suggested. Looking back at the battle commencing, Garchomp suddenly surged forward with one of its fin-like forearms, which had filled with a white glow. The Wobbuffet covered itself with another barrier as Garchomp's Brick Break hit its mark. Wobbuffet was trying to counter the attack, but it looked as though it wasn't working. Finally, Garchomp broke through its defence and its attack fully connected. The Wobbuffet flew backwards, skidding along the ice before crashing at the base of the podium defeated.

"Wobbuffet can no longer continue," the official decreed, "this round goes to Cynthia's Garchomp."

"Nice comeback," I smiled. "This is more of the Cynthia that I know."

"Now they're down to two Pokemon each!" Misty murmered to me.

"Stating the obvious there, hun," Harley laughed mockingly. Misty simply scowled again. Back on the battlefield, Jamison had recalled his Charizard into battle. It was flying above the arena. Jamison ordered it to attack. It sent a fiery stream of flames towards Garchomp, but it dodged easily. The flames caused some more ice to melt in the same way that its Overheat had done when it battled Lucario. The Garchomp seemed a little concerned by this, but not concerned enough to stop it from evading a multicoloured blast from the Charizard's mouth.

"That Dragonbreath would have been super effective if it had hit. Cynthia had better be careful," Misty warned. Garchomp had since retaliated by propelling itself skyward with an orange stream of energy crossing over its body. The Giga Impact attack stuck the Charizard square across the face. It's neck snapped backwards. Misty buried her head into my shoulder, wincing at the sight. Despite the massive damage that the dragon of fire had taken from that move, it still struck back with a Dragonbreath, knocking Garchomp back down to the ice below. Despite the super effective attack, I noticed Garchomp had formed a barrier of some sort with the blades on its forearms. It wasn't actually taking much damage at all. The Charizard let out a frustrated roar, as it spat another Overheat attack towards Garchomp. Garchomp dodged with little difficulty, but the attack continues to pour from the Charizard's mouth. The ice was melting rapidly. Garchomp watched as the ice around it became thinner and thinner, almost turning into water.

"Does every trainer that comes onto the Ice Field feel the need to melt it during battle?" I wondered out loud to Misty. She simply shrugged her shoulders. Eventually, Garchomp was stood on one small iceberg floating amidst the water. Charizard began to fly forward, sending a Dragonbreath in Garchomp's direction, but Cynthia held her Poke Ball forward, withdrawing Garchomp just before the Dragonbreath connected.

"Cynthia has taken Garchomp out of the match for now," the announcer stated the obvious yet again. "Which Pokemon will she use to battle Charizard?" The answer came in a surprising form. Dropping into the cold water, a serpentine creature came into view. It's head and body was a creamy colour, with two long crimson streamer-like features running down its body. It's tail was blue with red splotches and split into a fan-like shape. It was a truly beautiful Pokemon. It simply stared up at the Charizard, who was still flapping its wings above the water. "Cynthia has chosen Milotic to continue this battle," the announcer confirmed. Cynthia sent an order to the gorgeous serpent, before it fired a beam of extreme cold towards the airborne dragon. It struck one of its wings, freezing it solid. The Charizard tried desperately to stay in the air, to no avail. It plummeted into the bitterly cold water, wailing as a huge splash drenched Gentleman. The rushing water knocked his hat off for a start, but that was only the beginning. Beads of gray water ran from his hair, revealing his natural undercolour… blue. What's more his moustache had washed off his face and was now floating in the pool of water. He quickly returned his Charizard, which had been declared unable to battle by the official. The crowd murmured in confusion as to what was going on.

"Hey!" I jumped up with surprise, talking to Misty. "Isn't that one of the guys who tried to steal Casey's Meganium and Ash's Pikachu?" I noticed that the vendor who sold me that lemonade, which I had yet to drink, had run over to his side…

"What's going on, here?" the announcer mumbled, apparently not realising that his microphone was still switched on. The vendor and the Gentleman began laughing.

"Listen, is that a crowd I hear?" the vendor smirked.

"They were cheering for me, loud and clear," the fake Gentleman replied.

"Carrying through the stadium," the woman continued.

"Through the stands," the male added.

"In the lobby!" came the goofy voice of that Meowth, although I didn't see where it was.

"Bringing chaos at a break-neck pace," she laughed.

"Dashing all hope and putting fear in it's place," he chuckled.

"A rose by any other name is just as sweet," she added.

"When everything is worse, then our work is complete," he delivered his line.

"Jessie!" the woman shouted, throwing her costume to the floor.

"And it's James!" the man did the same with his drenched suit.

"Plus Meowth!" it called from somewhere again. "Now that, my friends, is a name!"

"Putting the do-gooders in their place," Jessie posed.

"We're Team Rocket!" James stood alongside her.

"We're in your face!" the trio called out together. This time however, the Wobbuffet from before was not in sight… possibly since it had been defeated by Cynthia's Garchomp. But a voice did appear in it's place…

"Abso--l!" came a deep voice. I looked over to see that from one of the Poke Balls that James was holding, an Absol had appeared. It looked over directly where I was sat. I suddenly let out a gasp.

"That Absol…" I muttered. I looked up to see a figure was falling from the sky… or rather the Meowth shaped hot air balloon that I had only just noticed looming above the stadium. The figure swung something and a familiar looking Pokemon appeared. The Weezing lowered his trainer down toward the Ice Field, he glared at me with evil intention.

"Disaster," Darkhan sinisterly chuckled at me, clasping his sword in both hands…

**TO BE CONTINUED**

_**Next Time:** Darkhan seeks revenge on Jonathyn, aligning himself with Team Rocket to do so. Jonathyn must join forces with Cynthia to stop the evil foursome. But is Darkhan truly as bad as he seems?_


	21. Chapter 21

_Disclaimer: How many times do I have to say this? I do not own Pokemon… at all…_

_MESSAGE TO READERS: This chapter has a lot of action in it, which is what I know you people are fond of. The next chapter will be even better hopefully. But that's all I have to say, other than keep those reviews coming! Also, check out the spin-off story "A Smeargle's Tale" which I have just started to write. Don't worry, it will not be updated nearly as much as this story. So go grab a lemonade or something, kick back and enjoy._

**THE LEAGUE OF CHAMPIONS**

**CHAPTER 21: ROCKET GANG'S RECRUIT! STOP THE VENGEFUL SWORDSMAN!**

It was one of the most venomous looks that any human being had ever given me. I could literally see flames of rage burning in the very centre of his pupils, yet he had a sadistic grin etched across his face. The crowd was gasping, some running away in fear. Even Harley had ran away screaming like a little girl. To be truthful, I had never been in a situation where another man threatened me in such a manner. Disembarking his Weezing vehicle, he stood on the edge of the battlefield just inches from where Misty and I were sat. Misty herself appeared to have frozen in a combination of disbelief and pure fright. I hadn't seen her quite this scared since Harley introduced her to his Ariados, but this expression was ten times more fearful. Darkhan let out another one of his trademark chuckles, before swinging his sword viciously into the air. Two Poke Balls into the sky. Two Pokemon that I had never seen before appeared… the first resembled a bush of some sort. It's whole body was covered in thick vines, several of which formed a pair of arms. I could only see it's eyes peering from the thick overgrowth. The second was a bit shorter than its comrade. It looked as though it had been mummified, except that one cycloptic eye stared out towards me. The Dusclops and Tangrowth stood alongside their malicious trainer, who had now also been joined by Jessie and James of Team Rocket, both of whom had smug expressions on their faces.

"What the hell…" I stammered, as Darkhan glared over to where I was stood, surrounded by his Pokemon… including the Absol that he had obviously allowed James to borrow in order to defeat Cynthia.

"Vengeance!" Darkhan sneered, turning his head until he could see Cynthia out of the very corner of his eye. "Eradicate," he muttered to the duo.

"It would be our pleasure," Jessie grinned. "Seviper, Poison Tail!" she shouted, throwing her Poke Ball forward. The poisonous snake appeared right above Cynthia, lunging for her whilst whipping its tail across. However, her Milotic leapt out from the water, firing an Ice Beam directly at its face. The Seviper managed to twist its serpentine body to evade the attack, but at the same time missed Cynthia, fortunately.

"What do you think you are doing?" an official ran forward in protest.

"Sleep!" Darkhan sneered once again. This time, his Dusclops took a step forward, before its single eye glowed a dark red. The official dropped to the floor, snoring loudly. I had now got out of my seat, with Misty accompanying me. We leapt down to the ground below, arming ourselves with Poke Balls of our own. James by now had, albeit reluctantly, passed back the Poke Balls that contained a defeated Charizard and an external Absol. Darkhan snatched them back. One of the Poke Balls in his sword began to crackle, before vanishing into thin air, as well as the ball containing Charizard. Darkhan stared at his hand, wondering where his Poke Ball had gone. I said nothing, although I knew that the maximum number of Pokemon one could carry at any one time was six. No more than that was allowed. It had gone back to wherever Darkhan stores his Pokemon… This was going to be tough… Tangrowth, Dusclops, Absol, Weezing and Seviper were already in view. It was only Cynthia's Milotic that was capable of doing anything to them at this point. I ran over to where Cynthia was stood along with Misty. I threw two of my Poke Balls forward, as did Misty. From our Poke Balls came Gyarados and Corsola, along with my Pelipper and Nidorino. "Even," Darkhan smirked, noticing that it was now five on five.

"What's all this about?" I asked, with a frustrated tone. "Are you that bitter about losing to me that you feel the need to take your anger out this way?"

"Incorrect," Darkhan smirked. "Azelf…"

"What about Azelf?" Misty stuttered.

"He's told us all about your little escapade the other day," James smiled menacingly. "You see, he was after Azelf but you twerps got in the way of his plans. So we've agreed to help him capture Azelf as well. Darkhan is not just a Pokemon Collector, you know. He's the newest member of Team Rocket!"

"False!" Darkhan boomed, frightening James a little. "Azelf…by any means necessary!"

"Cripes," I chuckled. "I never knew you could use more than two words in your sentences!" I then began to laugh mockingly.

"Silence!" he boomed, lifting his sword so that the tip was just millimetres away from my face. For some reason though, I continued to laugh. Even though this was obviously angering the swordsman, I could not help it. "SILENCE!" he roared again. This just made me even more hysterically. I fell back, clutching my side from the pain this laugher was causing.

"I can't help it!" I chuckled. "It's just that I find it completely hilarious that you feel as though the only way that you can intimidate me is by bringing out five Pokemon against us and waving a piece of tin foil in front of my face. And the only way for you to achieve your goals is by cheating your way into it."

"No Cheat!" Darkhan shouted in the same way he had done when I had accused his Absol of interfering in our match.

"You liar!" I protested, still chuckling. "You can't deny the fact that your Absol wasn't causing interference. Otherwise it would never have been by your side. If it was that loyal a companion of yours, you'd have it by you all the time. Yet both times when we saw you, in Azelf's cave and when I was battling Ash, your Absol was nowhere to be seen."

"It makes perfect sense," Cynthia nodded at my thesis. "I watched your match with great interest and even the television coverage did not show you order your Espeon to use Future Sight, yet I know for a fact that Absol can learn such a move." Darkhan suddenly fell silent.

"So?" Jessie snorted. "What do you twerps know, anyway?"

"He wants revenge fair and square," James grinned. "So we agreed to help each other get what we want. Besides, the Pokemon of the Champion are super strong. The perfect present for the boss!"

"Imbecile," Darkhan huffed back, before glaring at Misty and I. "Settle now…" he muttered sinisterly.

"There is no reason for us to fight," I stepped forward. My Pelipper and Nidorino both showed signs of concern as I approached the swordsman. "I won the match, you're going home. And there is no reason for you to be upset because you lost whilst trying to cheat."

"NO CHEAT!" Darkhan roared, swinging his sword in front of my face. I managed to duck to avoid the blade as Misty let out a horrified gasp. Even Cynthia seemed astonished at Darkhan's actions. "No Cheat…" he repeated, taking a deep breath. Cynthia stepped in front of me, with her Milotic in tow.

"How do you justify yourself?" she asked with a dead serious tone. "Jonathyn is exactly right in what he says. You cheated to win and you still failed. And now here you are, kicking and squealing like a child that hasn't got his own way. You should be ashamed to call yourself a Pokemon Trainer."

"Does it look like he cares?" Jessie sneered.

"Listen, I will be more than happy to challenge you to another battle outside of the arena, but this is the wrong way to go about asking for it." I stared at Darkhan and Team Rocket for a moment. Darkhan was obviously contemplating the idea. He let out a sigh, hanging his head down.

"I…" Darkhan began, now a tone of sadness had filled his voice. Some officials had now ran up to where we were stood, along with an Officer Jenny.

"You three," Jenny called. "On the ground, hands behind your head."

"Not today, we won't," James smiled, holding a Poke Ball in his hand. "I'm sure that Carnivine agrees with me!" he tossed his Poke Ball forward as the Flycatcher Pokemon appeared in front of the Officer Jenny. "Please don't bite me," James cowered as the Grass Type headed towards him affectionately. "But you can take a bite of HER blue hair if you prefer!" The Carnivine shot away, heading for the Officer Jenny with its gaping mouth wide open.

"Nidorino, help out Jenny with Poison Jab!" I called. Nidorino also began charging toward Jenny, but more in the direction of Carnivine, thrusting its front paw into Carnivine's jaw, almost making it bite its lip.

"You there," An official dressed in a suit pointed at James. "You are disqualified from your battle. Cynthia will go through to the next round."

"That's fine by me," James laughed. "Although she won't have any Pokemon left by the time we are through…"

"Battle now!" Darkhan boomed.

"What? Five on Five… at the same time!?" I laughed. "Come on, Darkhan. That would be near impossible and you know it. But if you want to take this elsewhere, then I'd be more than happy to beat you again."

"Double Battle!" Darkhan nodded at me. "Forest."

"Fine by me," I smiled.

"Oh, forget this!" she snorted. "We didn't come here to see a sitcom, we came here to nab some Pokemon… whoever they belong to!" All of a sudden, a giant net of some sort covered all of us, with the exception of Team Rocket along with their Seviper and Carnivine, who was still recovering from Nidorino's Poison Jab. It scooped up all of our Pokemon before lifting us up skyward. It had been fired from their hot air balloon, I could hear the talking Meowth laughing diabolically.

"A Pokemon in the net is worth two in the bush!" it shouted greedily.

"Betrayal!" Darkhan boomed, leaping up into the air. He swung his sword at the net, but the blade simply bounced back off, almost catching his Tangrowth in the head.

"Oh, boo-hoo!" Jessie mocked. "We don't need you to get to the good stuff! And don't waste your time trying to break that net. It's made from rubber. Thick rubber at that. Perfect for insulating electric attacks and bouncing off swords!"

"This time, we've got you beat!" James grinned. "And this huge haul of Pokemon is bound to get us that promotion for sure!"

"Then let's seal the deal!" Jessie laughed. "Seviper, use Haze!"

"Sevi--per!" the poisonous serpent hissed as a thick black fog billowed from its mouth. Everyone coughed and spluttered as the Haze engulfed us. We could not see anything at all.

"Whirlwind!" I heard a voice shout from beyond the smoke. A sudden gale force wind blew against us, dispersing the attack. I opened my eyes to see Ash running straight for us. "You're not going to get away!" he yelled angrily. "Staraptor, Brave Bird!"

"Star--," it cawed, hurtling itself towards the balloon which Jessie and James had somehow managed to embark upon during the time which we were blinded by Seviper's Haze. The hawk flew directly at the top of the rubber net, but it simply rocked the basket of the balloon a little. Ash's Staraptor seemed a little stunned that the attack did not have any effect at all.

"Where did you come from?" Misty asked surprised to see her friend.

"I was watching on the television…" Ash replied. "Team Rocket always seems to cause trouble at the most inappropriate moment."

"Damn… if only Pelipper were still out I'd be able to help too," I frowned. "But I think I've got the next best thing! Gabite, you're up!" I tossed the Dragon's Poke Ball forward. It emerged looking refreshed, despite the beating it to in the third round battle with Darkhan. "Use Dragon Rush to bring that balloon down!" I shouted, as the Cave Pokemon sprang into action. It's body was covered by the same blue aura that I had seen during the third round battle. It flew up towards the balloon.

"Wobbuffet, Counter!" Jessie shouted, throwing her Poke Ball forward. The Pokemon she had chosen emerged, although it looked pretty much wiped out. Jessie smacked her forehead dopily. "Why'd you have to use Wobbuffet in that battle, James?" she cried angrily.

"I didn't hear you complaining when it took out that Lucario," James shouted back. "Carnvine, use Bullet Seed to stop that shark freak!"

"Carnivine," it chortled with a bit of a goofy voice, firing a torrent of seeds from its mouth.

"Dodge!" I shouted up to my Dragon Pokemon. It swooped to one side, but the attack still followed it. The Carnivine seemed notorious for continuing it's Bullet Seed attack for such a long time. I recalled the time before when it almost managed to defeat Casey's giant Vespiquen with the move just by relentlessly barraging its foe with seeds. "Gabite, keep going!" I encouraged it as it carried on evading the attack.

"Staraptor, use Aerial Ace on the balloon!" Ash shouted up. The Flying Pokemon approached the balloon with rapid velocity.

"Seviper, use Wrap!" Jessie ordered as the Poison Pokemon leapt out of the balloon and coiled itself around Ash's Staraptor just as it had done against my Pelipper before. "Now Poison Fang!" she called, as the Seviper followed up by opening its mouth. It's fangs turned a putrid shade of purple before sinking them deep into Staraptor's neck. I could hear it squawk in agony as the poison seeped into its bloodstream. "Aim for the water!" Jessie shouted once again. Seviper angled itself to fall towards the water.

"Garchomp, Dragon Rush!" Cynthia shouted, as the evolution of Gabite appeared from its Poke Ball. It quickly imitated Gabite's attack and slammed into Seviper with such force that it knocked it off Staraptor. Garchomp caught the poisoned hawk, as the snake fell helplessly into the ice cold water. Both landed on the floor, Staraptor was unconscious now due to the poison's effect. Ash ran over to it alarmed to see its condition. I looked back up at Gabite, who was still airborne and still managing to avoid Carnivine's Bullet Seed.

"Gabite, fly above the balloon!" I cried out to the dragon. With a burst of speed, it shot upwards, right over the top of the hot-air balloon. Carnivine's Bullet Seed continued to follow it…

"Stop, you dummy!" James shrieked, but it was too late. The Bullet Seed had made several small holes at the top of the balloon. It began to deflate, lowering it slowly towards the ground.

"Give it more juice!" Meowth growled, making the flame bigger to try and keep them aloft. But this was to no avail. Gabite landed on the ground at the same time as the balloon, along with the rubber net containing the Pokemon.

"That rubber net is shock-proof, Ash," I grinned. "You thinking what I'm thinking?"

"Definitely," Ash grinned. "Pikachu, Volt Tackle!" The electric rodent jumped down from his trainers shoulder and began to run at top speed at Team Rocket, who had now congregated by the melted Ice Field to fish out Seviper. Pikachu's body was engulfed with an electrical aura, before slamming into the villainous trio. A cloud of smoke appeared upon impact, as the threesome began to blast off into the sky.

"This won't happen in the next chapter of this story!" Meowth shouted faintly.

"We're blasting off again!" they all called out simultaneously as a star blinked as soon as they had disappeared completely. We all breathed a long sigh of relief, with the exception of Ash, who was still concerned that his Staraptor had hardly moved since the poison had consumed its bloodstream.

"What can I do?" Ash whimpered, worried for his Pokemon.

"Here," I passed him something. "Casey gave it to me before she went, this would be the perfect time to put it to good use!" I reached into my backpack and pulled out a Full Restore. Ash happily took it from me and sprayed it over his Staraptor. It took a while for the spray to do its magic, but eventually Staraptor's eyes opened. Although a little weary it looked like it was back to full strength. "Thanks, Jonathyn," Ash sighed with relief, yet gratefully to me.

"No worries," I nodded. "Now to set our Pokemon free…" I turned to see Darkhan was now staring at us, with his Dusclops stood next to him… "How the…" I exclaimed upon noticing that the Pokemon had escaped from the net."

"It's a Ghost type," Misty replied. "It can pass through anything." Darkhan ordered his Pokemon to stand directly in the rubber net.

"Through," Darkhan said to the Pokemon in the net. Curiously, Misty's Corsola approached the Ghost Pokemon. It cautiously stepped towards the ghoul, before disappearing part way into its body. Misty's face seemed to turn white as the Corsola nearly vanished, only to re-appear through Dusclops' torso, out of the net. "Next," Darkhan jerked his head, signalling the other Pokemon to follow suit. I could hardly believe what was happening.

"Clever!" Cynthia smiled. "Dusclop's body is completely hollow. But it's somehow made a pathway between the net. It's almost like walking through a black hole."

"That really is something…" I stood still with awe, as the remaining Pokemon passed through the ghost's body. Even Misty's Gyarados somehow managed to squeeze through. Nidorino and Pelipper quickly made their way towards me. "Thank God you are alright," I sighed with relief. I looked around to see Misty delighted to see her Gyarados and Corsola were both safe. Darkhan's Tangrowth rejoined him, along with his Absol and Weezing. He quickly returned the latter two into their Poke Balls, as did Misty with her own. Cynthia and Milotic said nothing to each other, but pleased expressions were exchanged amongst the two of them. She also called back the serpentine creature. In the end, the only Pokemon remaining in the area were my Pelipper and Nidorino, Ash's Staraptor, who was still getting treatment from its trainer and Darkhan's Tangrowth, who was the last the exit the net.

"Is everyone alright?" Officer Jenny asked.

"Fine," Cynthia nodded. "It doesn't look like any of the Pokemon were seriously harmed. And the Staraptor there looks as good as new."

"Star--," Ash's Flying Type cawed happily.

"I don't think Team Rocket will be causing too much trouble any time soon," Jenny smiled, "But we will need to heighten security for the upcoming rounds."

"And what about you?" I turned, pacing towards Darkhan. "You're still after Azelf, obviously…"

"Problem?" he sneered back at me. "Azelf… my dream!"

"Your dream? To capture a legendary Pokemon?" I asked him.

"Azelf is sacred around these parts," Jenny said to us all. "If it were ever to fall into the wrong hands, the whole balance of human order would be thrown into chaos. Legendary Pokemon have powers that we can only dream of. Some say the creator of the land, Groudon resides somewhere near here."

"I heard that too," I nodded, looking at Cynthia. She smiled at me somewhat strangely.

"Even though you almost harmed an innocent, you have obviously seen the error of your ways," Jenny said to Darkhan. "Since I'm feeling in a generous mood, I'm not going to arrest you. But I don't want to see any of this sort of behaviour again? Understood?" Darkhan grinned for a moment, before silently nodding.

"Battle…" Darkhan growled at me, his Dusclops and Tangrowth both seemed to flex, ready to fight.

"Well… technically we're not supposed to have a proper battle outside of a stadium," I shrugged. "It's against the rules."

"I know where you can battle," the suited official said to me. "Come to the Final Battlefield. It could use a bit of loosening up. And technically, it isn't outside of the arena. I'll allow this one to slide, as long as you don't say anything…"

"Regards," Darkhan nodded, walking away from us. It was as though he knew exactly where to go.

"Are you sure that this is such a good idea?" Misty pressed herself against me.

"I've beaten him once and that wasn't enough for him," I smirked with a battle-ready expression on my face. "I'll force him to admit defeat, once and for all." I began to follow Darkhan out of the Ice Field. Some people had now began to return to the Ice Field.

"Well folks, Cynthia goes through due to a disqualification. But don't despair, we've got plenty more action here on the Ice Field," the commentator suddenly sprang back into life as we left the field. It was going to take some time before the action on the Ice Field returned to normal. With that little incident now behind us, I was ready to fight my next battle. Darkhan did not say a word as we approached the empty stadium. The only spectators would be Ash, Misty, Cynthia and Officer Jenny. Along with a couple of officials as well. It took no time at all to get to the Final Stage, which was still being prepared somewhat by some groundsmen. The suited official ran over to them and whispered something to them. Almost instantly, they picked up their tools and walked out of the stadium.

"I will be the referee," the suited official said to us both. "By the way, the name is Rufus Goodshow, grandson of Mr. Goodshow, the chairperson of the Pokemon League."

"It's nice to meet you," I shook his hand. "And I thank you for taking the time to do this for us…"

"Don't thank me," Rufus grinned. "The thrill of the battle is what I like to see. Two trainers going head to head with nerves of steel and an iron will. Now take your positions." Darkhan did not stop to address the future chairman, instead stood on the far side of the plain battlefield. The ground itself was perfectly level on a hardened mud-like surface. "Any idea on what battle you would like?" Rufus asked us both.

"Double Battle," we replied in unison. The same sort of battle we had in the previous round.

"Very well," Rufus nodded in acknowledgement. "A double battle it is… now, select two Pokemon to battle with." I took a look at my Pelipper and Nidorino, both of which looked at me almost sweetly. I sighed a little, but considered that this would be great experience for them. After all, in all three rounds I had used all my other Pokemon that I had brought with me on my journey with the exception of these two.

"Alright. Pelipper, Nidorino, let's do this!" I shouted to get them a little pumped up. Pelipper squawked and Nidorino let out a confident snarl. They took their positions next to each other on the battlefield.

"And you, Darkhan?" Rufus turned to face him from halfway across the battlefield. Darkhan simply smirked, as his Tangrowth took a step forward. "And the second?" Darkhan simply began to laugh with sadistic complexity.

"Behold…" Darkhan sneered towards me, reaching around the back of his neck and removing his cape slowly. Everyone watched with great interest as he finally drapped the strange cape over his arm. He tossed it over to his Dusclops, which caught it in its phantomesque hands. In an instant, something strange began to happen. The Dusclops began to glow a strange shade of white. It looked similar somehow… but I could not figure out where from. Darkhan was laughing almost devilishly. The Dusclops began to expand and grow, before the light faded completely. The Dusclops was no longer seen, instead… the King Of Ghosts… rather than feet, it hovered from the ground, it's feet replaced with nothing but a genie-like wisp. It still maintained its single eye, but it looked much more terrifying and intimidating than it had done as a Dusclops…

"How…" I gasped. "It evolved just by giving it his cape?"

"I thought that thing looked a little familiar," Cynthia frowned. "His cape was actually a Reaper Cloth."

"A Reaper Cloth?" I shuddered. "What's that?"

"An evolutionary item," she replied. "It is what is required for a Dusclops to evolve into Dusknoir."

"So I'm facing a walking bush and a dead thing, fine by me. We'll take you down," I grinned…

**TO BE CONTINUED**

_**Next Time:** It's Jonathyn versus Darkhan Part Two! Can Jonathyn's Pelipper and Nidorino defeat the awesome combination of Darkhan's newly evolved Dusknoir and his Tangrowth?_


	22. Chapter 22

_Disclaimer: No… I don't own Pokemon in anyway shape or form_

_MESSAGE TO READERS: OK, so I've had a review for "A Smeargle's Tale" and I will try to impliment some of this into future chapters of this story, starting with not centering chapters anymore! So, grab a lemonade or something, kick back and enjoy!!_

**THE LEAGUE OF CHAMPIONS**

**CHAPTER 22: DARKHAN'S VENGEANCE! THE GHOST'S SINISTER POWER!**

The Dusknoir examined his new form, flexing his newly grown arms that he did not have during his days as a Dusclops. The Tangrowth's expression remained hidden beneath its overgrown vines. However, Darkhan's was much more apparent. He had obviously planned this moment. It was as though no matter who he lost to, this would be the outcome. One thing puzzled me though… what good would the result of this battle be for either of us? Would he feel better if he won? Regain some of his self-esteem that I may have taken from him during our official battle. Or perhaps this was a way to ensure that I made no further progress in the tournament, just as he would not? Although usually I take battles as seriously as any other trainer, this battle did not seem significant. However, this would be a good opportunity to allow Pelipper and Nidorino get back into the fighting spirit, since they had not been a part of any of my previous battles as of yet. Except when Nidorino helped us save Azelf before. It seemed quite strange. The sky had turned a lot darker now. Black clouds rolled in from nowhere. Less than two or three hours ago, I was battling this man in official combat in the glorious sunshine. It kind of shows you how quickly things can change. Upon glancing at the miniscule crowd of Ash, Misty, Cynthia, Officer Jenny and a couple of Pokemon League officials, I saw the protégé of the chairman's power stand on the half-way point of the battlefield. Although he carried no flags as an umpire would usually, he remained intrigued by the selection of Pokemon and the prospect of yet another pulsating battle.

"This is an unofficial Pokemon League battle, sanctioned by myself Rufus Goodshow," he called out. "This is a re-match between Jonathyn and Darkhan in a Double Battle. Only two Pokemon each battling at the same time. There is no time limit to this match. Are you both ready?" Darkhan replied with a simple nod, resting the blade of his sword against his shoulder in an almost cocky manner. Rufus then looked over to me as I nodded to not only him, but Pelipper and Nidorino as well. They confidently nodded back, both not wanting to let me down it would seem.

"First move," Darkhan smirked at me. I smiled back.

"That's a move you'll regret," I tried to sound as intimidating as I possibly could. "Pelipper, use Aerial Ace on Tangrowth! Nidorino, Thunderbolt on Dusknoir!" Pelipper let out a long caw and rose into the air. I couldn't see how far up it was, but it seemed further than one would think. It spun around in mid air, approaching Tangrowth with incredible kinetic power. Nidorino remained where it was and fired a yellow bolt of electricity towards the large ghost. Darkhan said nothing at all, his Pokemon standing inanimately. I questioned his tactics at first, but forgot about them as both attacks made direct hits. "Take that, Dar-KHAN!" I mocked happily, but the swordsman simply smirked.

"Punch," he muttered to his Dusknoir. The Thunderbolt attack had formed some sort of charge around the entire body of the ghost. It seemed to focus for just a moment, before the sparks transferred to one of its hands. It surged upward towards Pelipper, striking it hand with an uppercut-like punch. Pelipper squawked in pain, flying back towards myself and Nidorino. Darkhan let out an exceedingly cunning grin. I let out a frustrated sigh as I realised the error that we had made.

"So it knows how to use Thunderpunch," I scowled. "And Nidorino's Thunderbolt supercharged it. We'll need to watch out for that."

"Sleep!" Darkhan shouted. Rather than the method used last time, his Tangrowth began to sprinkle some light blue powder into the air. Sleep Powder to be precise. My Pokemon knew better than to wait for my instruction and evaded the tainted powder instantly.

"Our turn again," I grinned. "Nidorino, use Poison Jab on Tangrowth. Pelipper, use Aerial Ace on it again!" Nidorino and Pelipper both set off, with Nidorino's horn filling with a thick, purple venom. Both of the super effective attacks were imminent to strike…

"Sleep!" Darkhan quietly muttered once again. This time, the blue powder shot almost immediately. There was hardly any time to react at all.

"Dodge!" I shouted desperately to both Nidorino and Pelipper. They both swerved their attacks, Nidorino's Poison Jab striking the Dusknoir instead. Pelipper managed to swoop back once the Sleep Powder had passed and connected to the back of the Tangrowth's head. The Dusknoir seemed a little stunned by the Poison Type's attack. "Pelipper, Hydro Pump on Dusknoir!" I called. "Nidorino, Horn Drill on Tangrowth!" Nidorino's horn began to twirl like a drill, as the name of the attack would suggest before slamming into the Tangrowth. Meanwhile, Pelipper shot a torrent of water from its large bill towards the Dusknoir.

"Evade!" Darkhan boomed to his Pokemon. The Dusknoir faded into the ground, the Hydro Pump washing the ground on which it had vanished into. But the Tangrowth had nowhere to go as the Horn Drill connected. Tangrowth at first seemed to resist the attack.

"Full power, Nidorino!" I urged to it. It let out a roar as it focused all of its power into the Horn Drill attack. Tangrowth fell backwards, the one-hit knockout move had done its job! I punched the air happily as Rufus raised his arm into the air.

"Tangrowth has been eliminated," he declared with a smile. Darkhan simply grinned, returning his fallen Tangrowth back into its Poke Ball. Both Pelipper and Nidorino were equally delighted as I was, but I noticed they both seemed abnormally tired. Nidorino must have used a lot of power taking out the Tangrowth. Horn Drill would only work a small percentage of the time and only if the user was an equal or high level than the target. Their levels must have been pretty close for Nidorino to have to use so much effort to knock it out. I then noticed something glistening on Pelipper's wing… a small speck of blue within the white feathers of the sea-dwelling bird. I let out a small gasp when I realised what it was. It appeared as though part of the Tangrowth's Sleep Powder attack had actually landed whilst Pelipper tried to dodge it just now. Yet it appeared to be not enough for Pelipper to be put it to sleep straight away.

"Uh oh, Roost Pelipper!" I shouted, knowing that it would drift off any minute. Pelipper landed on the floor, some of its feather glowed white and began to circle around its' body…

"Punch before heal!" Darkhan shouted to his still invisible Dusknoir. I searched around the battlefield, trying to find it. Then I saw a shadow racing towards the Flying Type on the ground, then a second smaller shadow burst up from the ground.

"Nidorino, Shadow Claw!" I called. Nidorino jumped up at the shadow, it's claws forming a long purple silhouette resembling a large claw. Both attacks collided with one another. Dusknoir's Shadow Punch was neutralised, but no sooner than Pelipper had Roosted completely, it fell to the ground fast asleep. I scowled at this, knowing that it would be immobile for a while now. It was down to Nidorino to keep the battle alive until the bird had awoken.

"Nidorino, go for a Horn Drill on Dusknoir…"

"Disable!" Darkhan roared as soon as I had delivered my order. The ghost Pokemon's single eye glowed a dark blue. A light of the same colour surrounded Nidorino. It surged forward, its horn still spinning. But I spotted the horn grinding to a halt the nearer it approached. The Disable attack had worked, preventing Nidorino from using its instant knockout technique on the ghost.

"Damn," I snarled. "If we can't knock it out in one go, we'll just whittle it down with strong attacks. Use Thunderbolt!" I shouted, as the Poison Pokemon launched another bolt of yellow electrical power at the Dusknoir. Once again, Darkhan said nothing. The attack landed, surrounding the Pokemon with yellow sparks once again. But just as it had done before, the sparks moved towards the Ghost's hand.

"Punch Bird!" Darkhan grinned. I scowled as soon as I noticed that I had allowed him to use the same tactic he had done as before.

"Stop it with Shadow Claw again!" I called to my Nidorino. But this time, Dusknoir levitated into the air, avoiding the dark attack from my Nidorino. The Thunderpunch landed on the slumbering Pelipper once again. Such a devastating attack would wake up any human, but Pelipper just kept on sleeping. How could it remain asleep after taking such a powerful attack? "Come on, Nidorino! Use Poison Jab!" Once again, Nidorino leapt towards the Dusknoir with its horn filling with toxic poison. Darkhan let out a small frustrated sneer, obviously becoming annoyed at Nidorino's persistence. Yet he still did not deliver any sort of direction to his Dusknoir at all. This in turn frustrated me, as I knew that when he did not give an order to his Pokemon, he had some sort of trick up his sleeve. Nidorino's Poison Jab struck the body of Dusknoir with more force than you would expect for a small Pokemon like that. But it was at that exact moment that Darkhan unveiled his scheme.

"Curse!" Darkhan's expression changed to that of his cunning nature once again. The Dusknoir did not appear to be too badly affected by the rancorous attack, but it appeared to be in more pain at it thrust its arms into its own torso. It made a strange wailing sound as its fists fell deeper into it.

"What the heck?" I raised an eyebrow. "He's having it hurt itself? Well, whatever. Makes it easier for us to win!"

"No, Jonathyn!" Cynthia shouted out to me from the almost empty stands. "It's going to put a Curse on Nidorino!"

"Curse?" I questioned. "What do you mean?" But my misunderstanding of the move would cost me. The Dusknoir suddenly burst its arms out of its chest, along with it a strange dark energy that engulfed Nidorino. It took a moment for the attack to have an effect, but Nidorino suddenly started screeching and roaring in pain. It appeared to clutch its head. "Nidorino, what's the matter?" I called to it. It replied only by wailing in agony even more. "What's happening?" I cried in disbelief.

"Curse is a Ghost Type move. It literally puts a curse on the opponent." Cynthia called to me.

"Impossible!" I shouted back. "I've seen it used by other Pokemon and it doesn't do anything but raise its stats…"

"It's different if it is used by Ghost Type Pokemon," Cynthia called out to me in response. I let out a long and angered growl. I couldn't believe this was happening. It was such a promising start as well, having defeated Darkhan's Tangrowth so early on only for his Dusknoir to take a rapid advantage in just a couple of moves. Darkhan himself still puzzled me. He was battling with no real incentive other than to defeat me to gain vengeance. His tone was so much more competitive and aggressive in our official match than he had been in this confrontation. But I could not afford to keep thinking about this sort of thing. I had to find a way to turn things around in this battle, otherwise I would not only let myself down but also my Pokemon. How strange it was that I thought nothing of this battle just moments ago and now that I was in a position of weakness, I was desperate to gain the win. That's the thrill of Pokemon battles, I suppose.

"Nidorino, fight the Curse! Use Shadow Claw!" I prayed that this would work. Nidorino tried to shake away the bad thoughts that the curse was laying upon it and managed to strike the Ghost with the attack. The Dusknoir reeled in pain. "Nice work!" I shouted to it. It grinned at me, pleased to be of assistance. It then flinched as the Curse began to sap away its remaining health. I gasped in shock once again as Nidorino gave in to the Curse's horrific power. It slumped to the ground, no longer able to continue the fight.

"Nidorino is eliminated!" Rufus called. I called Nidorino back into its Poke Ball with a distressed look on my face. I tried to comfort myself as I stared at Nidorino's Poke Ball, remembering what it had sacrificed just to win the battle.

"You were great out there, Nidorino," I whispered softly to the Poke Ball, knowing that my fainted Pokemon could still hear me somewhat. "I promise as soon as this is over, I'll take you to the Pokemon Center." With that, I placed the Poke Ball back into my pocket before staring back out to Darkhan and his Dusknoir. He had an extremely smug look on his face.

"Disaster…" he muttered to me, trying to get into my head once again. I shook off these thoughts and decided that the best form of defense was attack.

"I don't see your Absol anywhere," I smirked. "But I can see Pelipper quite clearly! Pelipper, Steel Wing!" I pointed towards the ghost… but nothing happened. I frowned a little. "Steel Wing, Pelipper!" I ordered once again, but still there was no movement at all. "Pelipper, I'm talking to you…" as soon as I looked down at it, a small sweatdrop appeared at the side of my face. Pelipper was still fast asleep, so much so that a large bubble of saliva was slowly inflating and deflating from one of its nostrils. Darkhan let out a small chuckle, but his Dusknoir seemed to find it hysterical. It was holding its side showing how funny it was to him. I let out an irritated snarl.

"Vengeance Now," Darkhan chuckled to me. "Punch Thunder!" The Dusknoir summoned up an electrical charge, sparks flying from its clenched fist once again. It zoomed towards Pelipper and swung the fist.

"Wake Up!!" I shouted in desperation. Pelipper's eye suddenly opened, which caused my own to widen. I began to smile, but it turned into a frown as Dusknoir's Thunderpunch made contact. Pelipper fell backwards, skidding towards me. "Pelipper, time to use Roost again!" With that, Pelipper's feathers glowed white once again, circling around it.

"Waste!" Darkhan taunted. "Disable!" I gasped once again, this time I knew I was in trouble. Dusknoir's single eye began to glow once more, shrouding Pelipper in the same blue light it had done with Nidorino. Pelipper's feathers returned to its body. It was obvious that it had not fully healed by using Roost due to Dusknoir's Disable. Now we couldn't Roost at all and Pelipper still looked in rather bad shape.

"Alright, we'll attack then! Steel Wing!" I called to the bird Pokemon. It took to the air, it's wings filling with silver. It darted towards the ghost, slamming its metallic wing into its chest.

"Punch!" Darkhan grinned, as it charged up another Thunderpunch.

"Dodge using Aerial Ace!" I called. Pelipper's wings returned to their natural colour, before launching itself skyward, the electrical punch missing by just inches. Pelipper swooped and turned in the midst of the skies, before slamming into the Dusknoir's side with dead on accuracy! Now it was my turn to let out a smile, but it was definitely more of a nervous grin. Darkhan remained physically unphazed and so did his Dusknoir, apparently. "Come on, Pelipper! Let's wrap this up with a Hydro Pump!" Pelipper spat another blast of water from its beak, heading right for Dusknoir. Again, the attack hit! My nervous grin became slightly more confident. As the attack stopped, the Dusknoir seemed to brush off the excess damp before taunting at Pelipper. I could not believe that it was still capable of battling, even with all the punishment we had dished out to it. It raised something to its mouth… I couldn't see what exactly… a berry of some sort. I began to devour it, which confirmed my suspicions. But what sort of berry was it. The answer came when its body began to gleam, the signs of damage slightly fading. "It was holding a Sitrus Berry all this time…" I frowned.

"End!" Darkhan roared. "Punch Thunder!" The Ghost began to head right for Pelipper once again, it's fist brimming with an electric current. I suddenly had an idea…

"Pelipper, right before that attack hits you use Steel Wing on the ground!" I shouted. Pelipper lowered itself to the ground, the Dusknoir following it with its fist still crackling with thunderous power. It swung the fist, as Pelipper's wings filled with silver once again. It slammed its wing to the ground as the punch connected. I could see the surge of energy run down its wing. My plan seemed to have worked.

"That's amazing!" Cynthia blurted out. "He used Steel Wing on the ground to act as an earth to that Thunderpunch. That's smart battling!"

"Shadow!" Darkhan grinned. Pelipper raised its wing off the ground as the Dusknoir launched a silhouette of a fist towards Pelipper. It caught it right beneath its beak, slinging its head back and falling to the ground. "Punch Thunder!" Darkhan smirked even more, as a rapid electrical punch landed on Pelipper. There was nothing I could do to prevent it as both attacks had landed with such great speed. Pelipper fell to the ground helplessly.

"Pelipper, please get up!" I pleaded. Pelipper's eyes were slanted, but widened a little as it focused so much energy into getting back up. It managed to get back up to its feet. I wiped my forehead with relief, but as soon as I looked back down again Pelipper had fallen. The last of its energy had gone. Rufus raised his arm.

"Pelipper can't continue. The winner of this unofficial battle is Darkhan!" Rufus declared. My heart sank. Pelipper lay motionless on the ground in exhaustion. I glared angrily at the Dusknoir, which was staring at me with its ominous cycloptic eye. I could not help but shake with frustration. I looked down at Pelipper, still not moving. All I could do was return it back into its Poke Ball.

"I'm sorry," I apologised to my dedicated Pokemon. "We'll do better next time, I assure you." I placed Pelipper's Poke Ball back into my pocket and began to walk toward Darkhan, who had returned his powerful Dusknoir into its Poke Ball, placing it in the empty slot in the shaft of his sword. As soon as I approached him, another Pokemon appeared… it was his Absol. It let out a howling cry directed at me. Darkhan simply smirked. I was about to congratulate him, but apparently his vengeance was to run deeper than just a battle. He was trying to invade my mind.

"Disaster…" he sneered at me, petting his Absol on the head as he had done before. "Vengeance Darkhan's!" he grinned.

"So what?" I smiled nonchalantly. "You win some, you lose some." Darkhan was taken aback severely by this comment.

"Anger?" he asked, looking for the signs of such a thing of my face. I did not show any, therefore he did not find what he seemed to seek. I realised the truth now.

"No, Darkhan," I grinned. "Just because you feel low from losing to me doesn't mean I need to feel the same when I lose to you. You may have beaten me this time, but all that matters is I am still moving up in the Pokemon League and you are not. And you defeated me because you forced your Dusclops to evolve by giving it that Reaper Cloth. At least when my Aggron evolved, it did it because it wanted to win for me! And that is why I am a better Pokemon trainer than you will ever be." Darkhan scowled at my words beneath his breath. He turned away from me, not wanting anything to do with this conversation anymore.

"Come," he muttered to his Absol, as they both began to walk off.

"Running away from your problems again, Darkhan?" I taunted unwittingly. "My point has been proven." Darkhan tilted his head a little, but nothing came of it. They continued to walk away, as Misty ran over to me.

"Jon, I can't believe you lost…" she said to me sympathetically.

"It doesn't matter," I smiled. "I've learned that as long as I lose during a good battle, I can come back stronger. No matter how much of an ignoramus my opponent is. Human natures do not matter. Like Rufus says, it's the thrill of the battle." Misty smiled and nodded to me.

"I agree with you, Jonathyn," Rufus smiled walking over to me, alongside the rest of the small crowd. "You battled with great courage and care for your Pokemon. You and your Pokemon tried your hardest and you should be delighted for the performance that you put on."

"I am, Rufus," I nodded. "Now, I've got to get Nidorino and Pelipper to the Pokemon Center. They deserve a good rest."

"As do we all," Rufus nodded. I returned his with one of my own. Misty wrapped her arm around mine only after Ash had walked in front of us, I noticed. Although he was talking to Cynthia about something that my ears did not pay attention to.

**TO BE CONTINUED**

_**Next Time:** Jonathyn discovers who he is facing in Round Four, only to discover that he is facing a powerful rival. Just who will he be facing? And what will his opponent's reaction be?_


	23. Chapter 23

_Disclaimer: I don't own Pokemon. Never have done, more than likely never will do._

**THE LEAGUE OF CHAMPIONS**

**CHAPTER 23: RIVAL REUNION! SURROUNDED BY POTENTIAL OPPONENTS!**

Even after I had healed Nidorino and Pelipper of their wounds, the loss still played at the back of my mind. From the very start, it meant nothing to me but now that I had tasted the bitterness of defeat, it was difficult to get that taste out of my mouth. Darkhan's motives were inexcusable, but he still managed to defeat me with conniving tactics and a superior strategy. Despite this, it seemed to fuel me to gain total glory. To climb the highest mountain and become the Pokemon League Champion. This was only a minor setback really, yet it felt as though I had lost everything. I knew that in reality this was not the case, but the small twinge just would not depart from my mind. By now, we had all reached the lobby. Rufus Goodshow still followed us, although his cohorts had now left him. Cynthia was continually talking to Ash, whereas Misty was stuck onto my arm as if by glue. I wriggled it slightly and she would not budge. It seemed to me as though she felt my sorrow of defeat. Although she seemed to provide comfort at the same time, which brought a small smile to my face. We all suddenly stopped, as Rufus' voice boomed from over the PA system.

"Would the remaining thirty-two competitors please make their way to the Trainer Lounge immediately. The Fourth Round Draw is about to commence." We all turned to face him. He had a microphone in his hand, which seemed to have appeared from nowhere. "What?" he shrugged as we all stared at him in our own strange ways. Cynthia let out a small chuckle.

"We could have heard you without the microphone, hun," came a voice. I instantly let out a desperate sigh. Harley wriggled his head between Misty's arm and mine. "So how's the damsel in distress?" he snickered, Misty finally releasing my arm to get away from the bizaare man.

"What is the matter with you?" Misty shrieked. "You're so annoying!"

"Ooh," Harley cooed mockingly. "I see you've picked out the cleverest banana from the bunch," he prodded me with a single finger. I glanced slightly at where he had poked me, brushing it off casually for no particular reason.

"We've got places to be, Harley," I scowled.

"So have I, sugar," he grinned. "I completed my match with flying colours. Who'd have thunk it? Little old me in the fourth round of the Pokemon League." He carried on talking, but I paid little attention to what he was saying. Misty glanced at me and smiled at my idea. It did not take long for us to reach the entrance to the Trainer Lounge. It was only an extremely short walk from the lobby where we had reached just beforehand. Rufus shuffled past us, stopping just in front of Misty.

"I'm sorry," he said to her. "But I'm afraid that only trainers who have advanced to the fourth round are permitted to enter."

"Oh, come on Rufus!" Misty wailed a little. "I'm not going to be causing any harm, am I?"

"I'm afraid that since Darkhan interrupted Cynthia's battle and threatened your boyfriend, I've had to heighten security a little bit."

"Aww…" she moaned, pressing herself into me.

"It's alright," I smiled. "I'll meet you back at the cabin, if you want."

"I guess that's the best thing to do," Misty shrugged. "Well, don't keep me waiting. I'll miss you too much." She grinned at me playfully, pressing her nose up against mine.

"I'll miss you too," I replied, giving her a soft kiss on the lips.

"Ugh, get a room!" Harley attempted to interject as he strut past us. Once again though, we decided to ignore him. This made him huff in frustration a little more. Misty gave me a cute wave as she began to walk away. I gave Rufus another look. In turn, he raised his palms to his shoulder level.

"Don't blame me, it's for the people's safety," he explained. I did not reply, I simply looked around at the hoard of trainers that were now approaching us. Aside from the trainers I had been with for most of the afternoon, I hardly recognised anyone else from the crowd. That is until the chattering crowd fell silent as one particular trainer walked through the masses. His hands in his pockets and eyes apparently closed, he seemed colder than usual. Even as he walked past me, he kept his eyes closed.

"Not with your girlfriend?" he asked coldly. "She's not good enough for my standards."

"I doubt a Regigigas would be good enough for your standards, Paul," I let out a small sneer as I rose to the bait.

"Pathetic," he snorted, opening his eyes. They slid across to the other side of his face, until they made contact with a surprised looking Ash. "Speaking of which, look who it is."

"What are you doing here?" Ash gasped, a little stunned to see Paul stood in this location. He shot a cold stare at Ash, who chuckled to himself a little embarrassedly. "Oh… right," he scratched the back of his head. "The same reason the rest of us are."

"Yes, well after the Sinnoh League's events I'll look forward to wiping that goofy smile off your face," he taunted. Some of the trainers began to converse a little after this statement was made.

"Don't be bitter just because I beat you," Ash smugly grinned. Paul matched his with one of his own, but his was much more serious than Ash's.

"I'm not bitter. I told Cynthia earlier that even though I was defeated by her, I have trained much harder and become a lot stronger than before. I take my defeats as inconveniences, not as something to pout about. That's why when we battle, Ash, I will be the one with the smile on my face." Ash and Paul did not even blink as they stared bullets through one another. Rufus eventually stepped forward.

"I think that it would be best if we leave this for the battlefield," Rufus interjected. "Now then, please follow me into the Trainer Lounge. With that, he opened the door. After walking in himself, we followed him in nearly single file. Although Harley was a little bit too close behind me for my liking, I did not hesitate to sit down on a nearby chair. The Trainer Lounge itself appeared to have been completely revamped since I last came here. All the lockers and benches had vanished. Only some scattered chairs and a plasma screened television hung from each wall were to be seen. The room looked more spacious than it actually was. Once I noticed that Harley had vanished to the other end of the room I stood up so I could see one of the screens. Cynthia and Ash came and stood by me. But then something in my head suddenly clicked…

…why was Ash here?

I thought I heard him or Brock say that he had been travelling throughout the Sevii Islands?

"I didn't think that you were in the Pokemon League," I nudged him slightly.

"Yeah, well I didn't want Misty to get too worked up about it," Ash replied. "She used to sit in my corner and give me advice. But I didn't know about you two at the time." There was an awkward pause. I coughed a little whilst trying to think of something to say.

"So you know, then?" I asked a little bit too obliviously.

"Misty told me all about it at the lake," he replied with a slightly negative tone. "But I've got a girlfriend myself, so it's no problem."

"Really?" I asked again a bit too dimly. "What's her name?"

"Anabel," he smiled as he mentioned her name. "She's a Frontier Brain of the Battle Frontier."

"Battle Frontier?" I shrugged. "What's that?"

"It's a series of buildings throughout the Kanto region that were designed to challenge the very best trainers from across the land," Cynthia replied. "Personally, I've never attempted it as of yet. But I know for a fact that Ash has managed to win at all seven locations."

"Whoa," I gasped. "You're more impressive than I thought. And you're actually going out with one of the leaders there?"

"Yeah," he nodded. "She's a Psychic Type Expert…"

"Ladies and Gentlemen, may I have your attention please!" Rufus called out on a second microphone. We cut off our conversation there for the moment as the entire room fell silent. "Congratulations to all of you for making it this far. This year has by far been our most spectacular to date. Over one thousand trainers from across the world came to Kanto and registered for the Pokemon League. Many did not get past the Gyms and only two hundred and fifty six were left to battle in the main tournament. And after just three battles for you, the survivors thus far… we have whittled you down to just thirty two! And that number shall be halved as we go into Round Four."

"Wake me up when it's finished," I yawned sarcastically. Ash and Cynthia both let out a small chuckle.

"So now we shall begin randomly choosing your next opponents. Bear in mind, all of you have battled on three of the five battlefields before moving to the grand stage. Now, first we will select the draws to take place on the Rock Field…" the screen began blinking various pictures of trainers. The only one I recognised was the girl that I met after my battle with Darkhan… the girl called Mimi. She wasn't facing anyone that I particularly recognised. "Next, the draws for the Steel Battlefield…"

"Steel Battlefield?" Ash questioned. "When I was here, I didn't have to battle on a Steel Field."

"There were so many trainers advancing to the finals that they had to build an extra stadium." Cynthia replied. "It's a good way to produce more competition and revenue."

"Ah…" Ash replied. "That's quite clever actually." I did not pay much attention to this. I was too busy watching the trainers' mugshots appear on the screen. Seeing as how I had yet to battle on this field, it was a possibility that I would see who my opponent was right at this moment. More pictured flashed past, but I could see that Harley had been paired to face someone else that I did not know as well as Cynthia. Paul's name had yet to appear, neither Ash's.

"So I'll be battling on the Water Field," I concluded. "Wonder what sort of match it will be… and who I am facing."

"It could be against me," Ash frowned a little, apparently not too fond of the idea of battling me again.

"Now for the Grass Field Matches," Rufus called. I let out an impatient groan. Cynthia gave me a sort of look, one that my mother would give me a child to stop me misbehaving. I quickly stopped whining and resumed looking at the plasma screen, which was still shuffling through the remaining trainers. I saw that Paul's name had finally appeared in one box. The below it belonged to Ash! I rubbed my eyes when I saw that match up, only to realise that the pictures were still shuffling. They were battling on the same field, but not at the same time. Shame, but there might still be time for that yet.

"Come on…" I scowled beneath my breath, hoping that I wouldn't be heard by Cynthia.

"Next, the Ice Field battles," Rufus called. I did not saw a word. No-one had left, even the ones who's matches had been drawn already. There may well be words left unsaid by the chairman's relative, Rufus Goodshow. The anticipation was horrendous. I was starting to get a little impatient as the battles that we to take place on the Ice Field were approaching confirmation. "And finally, the battles that will take place on the Water Field," Rufus smiled. My eyes became fixed on the screen once again. All I focused on the picture with my face on it shuffle around the screen. At the very top, my face was the first to appear in place. My opponent would be revealed to me in an instant. Finally, the picture appeared. It was that of a female dressed in the manner of a certain Pokemon that I had seen before. It definitely wasn't Harley, who I thought of briefly… but someone who I had met in my recent encounters…

"So… we finally get to battle for real," the voice of the picture laughed. I recognised it almost instantly. The girl walked up to me, who had been stood at the back of the crowd all this time. I looked at her, she did not seem even phased to be battling me. In fact, she almost looked ecstatic.

"Don't burst a blood vessel," I grinned, trying to sound unphased as well.

"Not as much as I will your bubble, Jonathyn," she smirked at her taunting comment.

"We'll see about that, Dragon Princess," I smiled upon thinking of the pathetic mocking name that I had given her.

"It's Sandra, actually," she reminded me. "Although Dragon Princess does have a nice ring to it. Suits me quite well."

"Oh well," I shrugged. "I guess I'll be seeing you on the battlefield…"

"Hold up," Sandra halted me before I could turn back to Ash and Cynthia. "We still don't know what kind of battle it is."

"Oh right," I choked, a sweatdrop appearing on the side of my face. At that moment, Rufus lifted the microphone back up to his mouth once again.

"Unlike previous rounds, all trainers must register which Pokemon they will use," he instructed us. "All battles will be four against four and they will all take place tomorrow from noon. The order of which battles will take place are the order of which they were drawn…"

"That means we'll be battling first thing," Sandra prodded me.

"Alright, I'm not completely stupid," I snapped back quietly.

"Now, as many of you are aware we have had problems with Pokemon thieves in the area, so therefore we are issuing a curfew to all trainers staying in the Trainer Village." Rufus seemed to boast his authority. There were several moans from the trainers. "Now, now, I know that this seems pretty drastic. But we must ensure the safety of our contestants. So therefore any trainer found outside of their dormitories after eight in the evening will be disqualified from competition." There were even more moans of protest and disgust at this decision. "Desperate times call for desperate measures," Rufus attempted to explain. "This is the only way that we can ensure that no-one's Pokemon will be taken. We will have a night patrol scanning the village, which is being organised by Officer Jenny and her staff."

"What about food, huh?" someone blurted out from the crowd.

"And what if there is an emergency?" another unknown voice called out.

"If there is a problem, simply use the telephones in your dormitories to call Headquarters." Rufus answered. "They will then advise you and if need be take action. But for now, I think it is best if we register our Pokemon over in the main lobby. I sincerely apologise for this." With that, some trainers left immediately. Others began to comment on the official's proclaimation. Sandra simply stood next to me, as Ash and Cynthia both examined their opponents, Ash seemingly trying to pick his out as the crowd left.

"So, which Pokemon are you going to register?" Sandra asked me with a sly tone.

"That's for me to know and you to find out," I smirked back, trying to counteract her cunning method.

"Well, I highly doubt you'll use your Lairon, since it doesn't cope well with water," she guessed.

"That's a good point," I grinned. "And it evolved into Aggron earlier this afternoon."

"That's nice," she smirked. "So did one of my Pokemon. Which one though, that's for me to know and for you to find out." She let out another sly smirk. "Tell you what, let's make this battle a bit more interesting."

"How do you mean?" I asked, raising an eyebrow at her comment.

"You look as though you might be a gambling man," she ran her eyes up and down my body. "How about a little wager?" I took a moment to think. Cynthia and Ash both seemed equally intrigued as to what Sandra was about to propose. In turn, this made me wonder what she had planned.

"What do you have in mind, exactly?" I asked, curiosity getting the better of me.

"I'll make you a deal," she slyly began. "If I win, then your Gabite has to mate with one of my Dragon Pokemon." I chuckled at this proposition slightly.

"I can't just force Gabite to mate with one of your Pokemon just like that!" I laughed. "Didn't you ever hear story about the Delibirds and the Beedrills?"

"Oh, I've got a dead cert way of getting them together," she smirked intently. I pondered the idea, stroking the short facial hair growing on my chin where I had not shaved since arriving.

"What's in it for me?" I asked, still considering her offer. Sandra shrugged her shoulders. Was she really that desperate to breed another Dragon Pokemon. She really must be crazy…

"Name your terms and I'll see what I can do," she replied with anticipation, as if daring me to agree to her deal.

"How about if I win the match…" I stammered, trying to think of something that would benefit me somehow. I began looking around, completely absent-mindedly for some form of inspiration. Then… something struck me. I saw Harley wiggling his hips as he walked out of the room. I snapped my fingers at the very thought! "If I win, you have to make out with that guy!" I pointed over in his direction.

"Which one?" Sandra asked, looking over at the bundled crowd. Harley was waiting rather impatiently for the exit to be cleared. Once again, I pointed over to him. "That guy!?" she shook with disgust. "The one with the purple hair and the green outfit?"

"That's the one," I chuckled. "His name's Harley. Nice guy… a bit too nice for my liking." Sandra ran over the idea in her mind briefly, but then shrugged.

"Fine," she grinned at me, but obviously still creeped out by my suggestion. "It's not as if I'm going to lose anyway. There are no Pokemon that can harm my beautiful Dragons, so I'll take you up on that offer." I then extended my hand forward. "What are you doing?" she stepped back nervously, still glancing over to where Harley was.

"Seal it with a handshake. Ash, Cynthia, you're both witnesses to this, right?" They both nodded, giggling and snorting under their breaths. Sandra grabbed it vigorously and shook it.

"Fine… I can live with that," she cringed as she lied. "But I am quite happy knowing that all I have to do is beat your sorry butt into next Tuesday. And then I will finally have a super-powerful Dragon. The ultimate Gible, then Gabite, then Garchomp! So if you will excuse me, I have to register my Pokemon." With that, she turned and walked towards the door. Harley was still at the back of the now slightly moving queue. She looked at him a little, before he turned to her. He let out a creepy smile.

"Hiya, hun!" he ogled her. "Nice outfit! Where'd you get it from? Wal Mart?"

"Get stuffed!" Sandra scowled as they finally exit the Trainer Lounge. I could not help but burst out laughing. Ash and Cynthia did the same, but stopped when all three of us noticed Paul glaring at us intently.

"Hmph, childish!" he huffed, walking away through the now empty doorway. We all looked at each other, none of us now laughing at what had just happened.

"I suppose we should all register our Pokemon for the next round." Ash suggested. "I know which Pokemon I'm going to use. How about you, Jonathyn?"

"Good question," I replied. "It's the Water Field facing Sandra, a Dragon Pokemon Trainer… so I've got to think about what might be useful. Houndoom wouldn't be much good around water, nor against Dragons. I suppose Pelipper would have a type advantage and Nidorino could at least help with Thunderbolt. Maybe even Bayleef, being a Grass Type. But that still wouldn't help against a Dragon Pokemon…"

"Your Gabite would be a good choice, except for the fact that it's weak against it's own kind of attacks," Cynthia informed me.

"I've got to go with Gabite, though," I thought out loud. "It's one of my strongest Pokemon. Aggron wouldn't even be much use on the Water Field. It'd sink quicker than it could swim for sure."

"You never know," Cynthia smiled. "I've seen a Tyranitar that could swim great distances before. Even a Pokemon like Rhyperior can use moves like Surf."

"Yeah, even my Snorlax used to swim between islands before I captured it," Ash pipped up. "And Snorlax is one of the heaviest land Pokemon in existence."

"Good point," I pondered the idea once again. "I suppose I could throw Aggron in there as a wildcard, but I saw how Paul's Torterra was on that battlefield. It couldn't even move, hardly."

"But if you recall, Paul's Torterra still won," Cynthia said. "It just goes to show that you can't judge a Pokemon just by it's looks. Aggron may be big and bulky, but it could still pull something out of the hat. You just don't know. That's all a part of Pokemon battling and how well you know the Pokemon you are battling with."

"OK, I'll give it a shot," I decided quickly. "Gabite, Aggron and Pelipper… and I've just thought of who my fourth will be."

"Which is that, then?" Cynthia looked at me with great interest.

"That's a surprise, for now!" I grinned, turning for the door. "Are you coming?"

"Right behind you," Ash began to give chase, as I literally burst out of the room. I almost knocked Rufus clean off his feet I was in that much of a rush. I headed for the lobby, where several other trainers were still waiting around trying to determine which of their Pokemon they would use in the upcoming fourth round battle. We let out a small sigh each upon seeing the size of the queues. This was going to be a long wait…

**TO BE CONTINUED**

_**Next Time:** The curfew effects everyone, as Jonathyn waits for a special delivery to be sent to him in time for his next battle against Sandra, the Dragon Master…_

* * *


	24. Chapter 24

_**Disclaimer:** If you have read the disclaimers of the last twenty three chapters, then you should know by now that I do not own Pokemon._

_MESSAGE TO READERS: You may or may not notice that this chapter is actually a bit shorter than usual. This is mainly because I did not want to give too much away in this chapter, particularly with Jonathyn vs. Sandra right around the corner and I also need to find a slight "filler" if you will until the chapter in which they will battle. Please keep those reviews coming in as I love hearing from all my fans and foes! So, other than that grab a lemonade or something, kick back and enjoy!_

* * *

**THE LEAGUE OF CHAMPIONS**

**CHAPTER 24: THE CURFEW HITS! JONATHYN'S SPECIAL DELIVERY!**

The time had quickly passed us by. The revelation that there was to be a curfew struck all of us with great shock, all for the sake of two or three avaricious individuals who desired to bring fortune to themselves and suffering to others. This made me rather angry, especially knowing that I had encountered such people during my days here at the Pokemon League. Jessie and James of Team Rocket, along with their talking Meowth companion. Creators of some kind of grand design, yet it failed to impress me or any other respectful human being. Even Darkhan seemed to match the description quite well, despite the fact that he referred to himself as a Pokemon "Collector", whatever that is. He could call it whatever he wants, it still means the same thing. I looked at the time on my Poketch. It was just ten minutes until the curfew hit and hunger was beginning to strike. It took almost half an hour to register the four Pokemon that I was going to use against Sandra in the fourth round battle and then I had to make a call regarding a Pokemon that I needed to get for the battle. Time was running short. Misty was still waiting for me, I hadn't seen her since the curfew had been announced. I was faced with a dilemma, either see Misty first and starve or eat and have my girlfriend give me more grief than a Granbull in a china shop.

Hoping that there was at least some sandwiches or fruit in the refrigerator at the dorm, I had decided to choose the first option. After all, someone once said that hell hath no fury like a woman scorned. That advice seemed to echo in the back of my mind, which is possibly one of the reasons that I had decided it. By now, the Trainer Village was baron. Not by the fact that all the trainers had been almost forced indoors, but also the fact that most of the trainers had been eliminated from the tournament and had to depart the premises. Although Misty was allowed to stay with me, albeit not legally since none of the officials seemed to bother about trainers sharing rooms. I passed several Officer Jennys on the way to the dorm, all walking alongside their tradition Pokemon of choice, Growlithe and Arcanine. Although a couple did have some different Pokemon, mainly Bug Types though such as Spinarak and Ledian. Upon arrival of my dorm, the door was slightly ajar. I raised an eyebrow at this and opened the door without a second thought. I looked around the bedroom, but Misty was nowhere in sight. A small frown appeared on my face.

"Where the heck has she gone?" I wondered out loud, still looking around the dorm for some reason. Obviously she wasn't here, so why was I still looking? After kicking off my boots and slinging my backpack on the floor messily, I slumped into the comfort of the bed that I had been sleeping in. Wearily, I clasped my hands at the back of my head and let out a long, tired yawn. My head then rolled to the left hand side as if through a will other than my own and saw a small white envelope on Misty's pillow. With a sigh, I reached over to it and examined it. There was no name written on it, nor any indication as to who it was written by… that is until the familiar smell of Misty's favourite perfume wafted over my nostrils. Quickly, I tore it open. A small note was left inside.

"Gone shopping with Brock," I read the letter out loud. "I drank the last of the lemonade. Sorry! I know that it's your favourite." I smirked a little at this comment. "Damn right," I chuckled to myself, discarding the letter in the waste bin just to the side of the bed. Another yawn exits my mouth as I slumped back once again. Thoughts began entering my mind about how the Fourth Round match would unfold against Sandra. I knew she had a Gabite that she was desperate to have mate with my own. She had already confirmed to me that they were opposite genders. I remembered back to our first encounter and the methods that she used at that time…

"You don't have a clue what a Breeder's Pokemon is capable of," she chuckled. "Attract!" Her Gabite began to hold its claws near its heart. A strange light appeared, it seemed to form into a heart itself. It released the strange energy as Gabite approached its target. The light dispersed across my Gabite's torso. Immediately, Gabite stopped it's tracks and began to blush! "What are you doing, Gabite?" I called over to it. "Dragon Claw, now!" Gabite slouched forward, hanging its arms down by its side. Its eyes narrowed, as it seemed to drool at the sight of the female Gabite. "What's the matter?" I frowned.

"You've never seen the move Attract before?" Sandra laughed. "You're even more dense than I thought! Attract infatuates a Pokemon of the opposite gender, immobilising it with love. Your Gabite has fallen in love with my own."

"That's right," I caught on to what she said to me yesterday. "If she uses Attract against Gabite, then she may well get what she wants. It simply wouldn't attack it! So I need to find a way to get around that. Only a Pokemon of an opposite gender would be able to counter it… how do you check that kind of thing anyway? Hmm… lift their tails up?" I suddenly stopped as the lock of the door clicked. I stared at my Poketch, the time now showed that five minutes had lapsed over the curfew time. I could hear two female voices talking.

"I didn't know anything about a curfew," Misty's voice came from the doorway.

"Headquarters' rules, miss," the officer replied. "You must stay inside until morning."

"Aww, man," she moaned, closing the door behind her. The rustling of plastic carrier bags filled the room until she began to stomp along the wooden floorboards in frustration. "I can't believe they put on a curfew!" she whined to me. From where I was laying down, I simply shrugged in response. "It's still light outside, for crying out loud!" she opened one of the curtains. A beam of dusk's sunlight shone directly in my face, forcing me to turn the other way to block my eyes. I let out a small grunt as the light shone over me. "What's the matter with you?" she asked me, beginning to place some of the groceries she had picked up into the fridge.

"Nothing is wrong with me, Misty," I replied, sitting upright to avoid the sunset. "What's got you all riled up?"

"They've put a cerfew into effect," she moaned. "I was just on the way back and got escorted by two Officer Jennys. Something to do with Pokemon Thieves. It's not fair that we should be locked up like animals in here just because of idiots like Team Rocket."

"I know, I know," I replied comfortingly. "We've just got deal with it. As soon as it's under control, we'll be allowed back out."

"But what about the trainers?" Misty whined still. "They could be getting valuable training for their matches and they've been restricted all because of these vagabonds!"

"Misty, relax," I smiled, stretching in relaxation myself. "It's nothing all that serious. Could you pass me a lemonade?"

"A please wouldn't go amiss," she responded, still upset with the curfew.

"Alright, bossy!" I chuckled slightly mockingly at her anger. "Please could you pass me a lemonade." With a small huff, she walked over to the bed and sat down, passing me a small bottle of the delicious lemonade that I had grown so used to. "Kick back and relax, Misty," I smiled, opening the can of fizzy liquid. It hissed and crackled as it opened, the same sounds came when Misty opened hers. She propped up a pillow against the headrest and sat upright. To be on the safe side, I did the same. "Look, I know it's annoying, but we've just got to deal with it."

"I know that," she sighed. "There's something else on my mind though."

"What is it?" I asked trying to show concern. "You can tell me anything, you know?" She turned to smile at me slightly, before giving me an affectionate kiss on the lips for just a second.

"Yes, of course," she smiled, before hanging her head again a little sadly. "I was talking to Brock about Ash…"

"What about him," I replied, not too sure whether I truly wanted to carry on this conversation.

"His girlfriend is coming over to see him battle tomorrow," Misty quietly mumbled. "And I just don't know if I can face her."

"Why not? Do you still have feelings for Ash?" I sighed, a little dreary of carrying on like this.

"No, and that's the weirdest part of it," she replied, lifting her head up. "I love you and I don't see Ash the way I used to anymore. I don't understand why I'm feeling like this."

"You know what I think?" I smiled after a small pause. "You and Ash have been through a lot together over the years. Perhaps you just don't want to see one of your best friends get hurt by a complete stranger to you." Misty fell silent, perhaps absorbing what I had said and processing it in her mind. A few moments passed, still the sound of Starly tweeting in the distance was the only thing to break Misty's silence. I took a purposefully loud slurp from my can of lemonade, but even that did not snap her out of her trance. "Misty," I nudged her gently.

"Huh," she suddenly looked around, before finally her eyes managed to focus on me.

"Don't worry about it," I assured her again. "Do you think Ash is thinking the same about you and I? I doubt it, not if he's in love with Anabel now."

"Hmm," Misty hummed. "I guess you're right." I let out a reliefed breath of air, wiping my forehead a little. She giggled at me and leaned over to kiss me once again. "So… who did you get drawn up against?" she asked. I let out a confident grin.

"Remember that girl Sandra, the one with the Flygon you met at the lake?" I continued to smirk.

"You're battling her?" Misty exclaimed, a little shocked. "The girl who helped beat Team Rocket the first time they appeared here?"

"The very same," I could not stop smiling. "I can't wait! Do you know what the best part about it is? We made a bet earlier on."

"What sort of bet?" Misty asked, now with a serious tone. "You'd better not be getting into anything bad, Jon."

"It's not that bad," I tried to hold back my laughter, remembering the bargain we had made with one another. "If I win, she has to make out with Harley!" with that, I burst out laughing hysterically, almost spilling a small amount of lemonade over the duvet.

"No way! You're kidding!" Misty gasped. "That's awesome! But hold on… what if you lose?"

"I won't lose," I replied, still recovering from that sudden outburst of hilarity.

"But what is the stipulation?" Misty insisted on knowing. "If you lose, what do you have to do?"

"Oh, she's obsessed with having my Gabite breed with her own, so if I lose they have to mate." I answered.

"Eww…" Misty cringed. "And you agreed to that?"

"Like I said, I'm not going to lose," I repeated my earlier statement. "And in any case, my Gabite is ten times better than hers."

"But all her Pokemon are Dragon Types, aren't they?" Misty spoke her mind to me. "The only sort of attacks that will do much damage against them are other Dragon moves."

"And Ice moves," I grinned. "And I've made a call to Johto asking to send through a Pokemon that will provide a small shockwave to Sandra's gameplan."

"Which Pokemon is that, then?" Misty asked with an intrigued expression etched across her face.

"Let me put it like this," I grinned a little cunningly. "I've already told you."

"Huh?" she shrugged. "What's that meant to mean?"

"You'll find out," I smirked. "I just hope that it gets here tonight, otherwise I'll have no time to see what it can do before the match tomorrow."

"But how will you get it tonight if we're not allowed outside?" Misty retorted. Upon hearing that, I simply let out a small grin.

"I've got it covered," I replied. "Rufus said that he would deliver it personally. And besides, I've had to register which ones I'd use in this round. I've decided to use Gabite, Aggron and Pelipper along with my surprise fourth. I'm on the Water Field."

"You're on the same field as me when I lost then…" Misty sighed. "Hopefully your result won't be like mine."

"Aw, don't say stuff like that Misty, you'll 'Jynx' it," I grinned.

"That was the lamest pun I've ever heard," she frowned at me, unimpressed at my attempt at humour. "But all joking aside, why are you using Aggron on the Water Field? Don't you know how heavy Aggron is?"

"I know," I nodded. "But I've got some tricks up my sleeve that will come in handy."

"I hope you know what you are doing," she replied, finishing off her can of lemonade and throwing it into the bin to the left of the bed. "So anyway, are we still going to head for the Whirl Cup after this?"

"Whirl Cup?" I frowned as I tried to remember exactly what she was talking about, before recollecting the conversation we had the other day. "Oh, right. Of course, yeah. That'd be great!"

"Good, because I really think I've got a chance of winning it this time!" she smiled, obviously daydreaming about the thought of her lifting the coveted Whirl Cup trophy. I too wondered what the feeling would be like, but rather than of the Whirl Cup, I thought about raising the Pokemon League trophy high above my head. I almost drooled at this thought until it was Misty's turn to gently nudge me out of my trance. I chuckled a little before slouching back down into the comfort of the bed. There was a short silence, until the bed made a quiet creak as Misty stood up. "I'm going for a shower," she smiled, removing her socks. I nodded in acknowledgement and turned away whilst Misty was undressing. "Oh, get a grip. You're my boyfriend." Misty chuckled as she unclipped the braces holding up her denim skirt.

"Yes, but there's a certain level of decency about me that I try to maintain," I replied, still not looking. Misty let out a small sigh, before snickering to herself.

"Okay," she sweetly smiled at me. "I'll do it in the bathroom." She quietly walked off, closing the door behind her. I took a moment to think, before smiling to myself and rolling onto my side. I could quite easily fall asleep here and now, but that idea was not to be as a loud knock at the door rattled through the cabin. It was a sound that I welcomed. I quickly leapt out of bed and rushed over to the door, opening it with great anticipation. Sure enough, the man I expect had arrived with my special package.

"I believe this is yours?" Rufus Goodshow smiled, extending a Poke Ball in front of my face. I took hold of it with both hands, staring at it with sincere relief that it had arrived with me this early. "Good luck in your battle tomorrow. I'll be watching with great interest."

"Thanks, Rufus," I bowed gratefully. Rufus raised his hand in front of me.

"No need to thank me, Jonathyn," Rufus grinned. "I expect great things from you. Even though you lost that second battle to Darkhan, I truly believe that if you believe in yourself and your Pokemon then you will achieve glory here at the Pokemon League."

"I appreciate that," I bowed once again. "I guess I shall see you tomorrow."

"That you shall," he bowed to me respectfully before walking off into the baron street of the Trainer Village. I closed the door behind me, holding the Poke Ball in front of me. My eyes were fixated on it…

"Well, old friend," I spoke softly to it. "Welcome back onto the team. Come on out!" I held it forward. There wasn't much room for any Pokemon larger than this one, but it was ample room for this creature. It's whole body was blue, with a few grey splotches dotted here and there. It's tail was almost fish-like. It's head was perfectly round and looked shiny like a rubber ball. Although it's eyes were almost like specks, its mouth gapped open as soon as it saw me. "Good to see you again," I smiled to it. Suddenly, it wrapped its flipper like arms around me and dragged me down. A loud thud was heard as I smacked against the wooden floor. "Easy, pal! You're going to knock me out!" I laughed, tickling its stomach area. It let out a little laugh before allowing me to stand back up.

"Hey Jonathyn, are you alright?" Misty called to me from the bathroom. "Did you just fall over?"

"Uhh… not exactly," I chuckled, still tickling my Pokemon's stomach. "Why don't you come and see who I've got with me. You'll love it, I guarantee."

"Let me just dry off first and I'll be right out," Misty called to me. The sound of running water faded, as my ecstatic Pokemon tackled me playfully once again.

"Will you settle down?" I chuckled, the memories of why I left this Pokemon behind all that time ago now coming back to me. It once broke my shoulder where it hit me with so much force. Eventually, the Pokemon stopped and began looking at me endearingly. "So, you ready to help me win the next round?" It called out its name happily just as Misty walked out of the door wearing nothing but a large towel wrapped around her figure. She looked at me and then at the Pokemon!

"Aww…aren't you a precious little Water Type!" she squealed in delight. I always knew that she loved Water Pokemon, but not that much. Misty began to approach my fourth selected ally, but it then prepared to tackle her as it had done with me.

"Return!" I quickly called as it began surging forward. It vanished just before contact could be made. "Sorry about that," I chuckled. "It gets a little bit funny like that."

"That's alright," she laughed. "I'm just going to dry off."

"Fine by me," I nodded, throwing myself back onto the bed. Misty re-entered the room in which she had been showering. I let out another long, tired yawn and closed my eyes, rubbing my side where my Pokemon had hit me just now. I did not even feel Misty clamber into bed with me once I had fallen asleep, hoping to be awake early enough to get some training done before the big match.

**TO BE CONTINUED**

_**Next Time:** Just what kind of Pokemon will Jonathyn be using in the next round? After a small team talk, it turns out there is still some unfinished business between Aggron and Gabite…_


	25. Chapter 25

Disclaimer: I'm tired of writing these disclaimers, so take a guess at what would be said… that's right. I do not own Pokemon

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**THE LEAGUE OF CHAMPIONS**

**CHAPTER 25: THE FOURTH COMBATANT! AGGRON & GABITE'S DUEL!**

Hopefully by now, the curfew would have passed. I had awoken especially early due to the fact that no one was allowed out last night and I felt that a little bit of training would go a long way before my upcoming battle. Solitude was one thing that I had hardly managed to grasp during my time here. But now most of the trainers that usually filled the meadow where I was about to exercise my comrades was completely empty. Where the sun was usually shining brightly, the sky was now blanketed with thick and dark clouds. Only a few drops of rain were falling and nothing else seemed to come of it. Fortunately for me. In my hand, I held four minimised Poke Balls. By pressing the center of the ball, it quickly expanded into a much larger sphere. I did this one at a time, tossing the balls forward once they had swelled to their maximum size. From the first ball, my recently evolved Aggron appeared. It seemed to have adjusted to its new form perfectly by now. It began flexing its arms that had developed from it's former front legs, displaying its power and strength. From the second ball emerged Pelipper, which began flying around in circles above Aggron and I. It soon landed next to Aggron. At first, it seemed a little intimidated at its size but it soon settled down when it realised that it was still Lairon on the inside. Pelipper seemed to get on with most Pokemon without any problem at all. It would sometimes try and attack Pokemon such as Finneon and other small fish due to the fact it saw them as something of a late lunch. Once I had released my third Pokemon from it's Poke Ball, Aggron turned to face it looking boastful of its new power. Gabite appeared next to Pelipper, which separated the two rivals. Both Pokemon glared hatefully at each other.

"When are you two going to learn?" I sighed as they continued their stand off. Pelipper looked back and forth at the two of them, before flapping it's wings and raising a couple of feet off the ground. It somehow managed to maintain a perfect height, cutting off the two rivals' eye contact with each other. My eyes seemed to widen when Pelipper did this. I never considered it to be an enforcer of any kind. "Listen," I said a little snappily. Aggron and Gabite turned their attention to me for the moment. "You three are going to help me in the Fourth Round Battle coming up later today." Their cheers demonstrated their delight of being able to battle. "It's four against four and none of you have ever met it before, so I want you all to welcome it nicely, alright?" They obligingly nodded to me. I tossed the Poke Ball containing my surprise choice forward. It appeared right in front of me, staring at the three new Pokemon that it probably had never seen in its life before. It seemed to have a huge gaping smile across its face, looking a little bit dim witted. "Pelipper, Aggron, Gabite, I want you all to meet Quagsire, one of my old friends." The three bowed their heads respectively to their new ally.

"Sire!" it rasped happily. Quagsire's smile grew wider, as it charged towards Aggron. It tackled it playfully, but it surprisingly managed to make the heavy Pokemon stumble a little. It had certainly become a lot more powerful since I last battled with it around the Johto region. Aggron scowled a little, looking down at the mudfish-like creature. Aggron let out a brief snort, but Quagsire still had its light-hearted smile across its face. As a Lairon, it probably would have headbutted it all the way to Sinnoh, but Aggron kept its cool and simply raised its head. It could see that Gabite had a small smile etched across face. It seemed to me as though it found Aggron's reaction humorous. "Quagsire!" it called out again, looking over to Gabite. It quickly ran over to Gabite, jumping up at it and wrapping its arms around its neck attemping to give it a big hug. Quagsire seemed to wrench at Gabite's neck, although it was only trying to play. It seemed to be causing some discomfort, as Gabite attempted to raise its head, but Quagsire simply kept yanking it with an over exaggerating amount of force.

"Cut it out, Quagsire," I told it sternly, although I also found this quite funny. Aggron seemed to show as much signs of humor as Gabite did when the shoe was on the other foot. "Save it for the opponents!" I shook my head. Quagsire then looked at Pelipper, who seemed a little bit worried by this. Quagsire released the hold on Gabite, before trying to jump up at Pelipper. However Pelipper cleverly decided to levitate a little higher in the air, just out of reach of Quagsire's fin-like hand. "Listen, Quagsire, I need to know what you can do before we do anything else. So how about you show me what you can do?" Quagsire then looked at me a little bit confused. It seemed to shrug its shoulders a little bit, or whatever it has. I smacked my forehead. "You really are dim, but never mind," I smiled, trying to show the most amount of patience that I could. "Tell you what, how about you have a little battle against Gabite, Aggron and Pelipper. You can show me what you can do then."

"Quag?" it turned to face the three Pokemon. Aggron and Gabite seemed quite happy to teach this thing a lesson. Pelipper simply nodded its head. "OK, so let's start with you, Pelipper. Use Hydro Pump on it." Pelipper let out a caw, sending a torrent of water towards the amphibian. Quagsire did not even seem to move. Whether or not it actually knew that the Hydro Pump was approaching it was beyond me. The move struck dead on, drenching the Pokemon. However, the water just seemed to vanish. Only a few drops fell to the floor.

"What the heck?" I exclaimed, wondering what just happened.

"Water Absorb," a voice replied. I felt a pair of lips press lightly against the back of my neck. Misty then joined me at my side. "It's an ability that Quagsire has. When its hit by water, it is able to heal itself without taking any damage."

"Nice," I smiled. "You're more useful than I thought, buddy! And how did you know where to find me, Misty?"

"Pretty obvious, since I followed you here," she replied, tapping her foot. "You don't have to run so fast, you know. I can't keep up with that speed."

"Sorry," I chuckled. "There must be a better way to have Quagsire use its moves than to have its allies attack it."

"It's OK," Misty smiled. "No offense to you or your Quagsire, but it is quite a dim witted Pokemon. It probably won't mind even if you knock it out."

"You could be right," I shrugged. "Alright, Aggron, use Shock Wave!" Aggron began to charge its electric attack, before scattering it forward to strike Quagsire. But once again, it did not even move. The electrical attack simply scattered away from its body once again doing little to no damage whatsoever. "Oh, of course… it's part Ground Type as well!" I sighed, punishing my own stupidity. Quagsire had now formed a fist, which was glowing a bright white colour. It punched Aggron right in the chest, causing it to let out a roar of agony. It fell to its knees, clutching the area where it had been hit. "Whoa!" I gasped in awe. "Since when did it know how to use Focus Punch!?"

"Don't ask me," Misty smiled. "Looks like it doesn't have the brains but definitely the strength."

"Let's see what else it can do!" I exclaimed, happy that Quagsire was proving to be more powerful than I had ever imagined. "OK Gabite, let's use Dragon Rush!" Gabite suddenly bolted forward as streaks of blue energy flew from its darting body. Quagsire noticed it coming towards it this time and opened its mouth. A small, pale blue orb appeared just inside it, before firing a beam of blue light towards Gabite. The Dragon Rush attack suddenly halted, as Gabite let out a roar of pain that was near equal decibels to Aggron's.

"Jonathyn, do you know what that attack was?" Misty gasped.

"Ice Beam…" my grin grew to the widest it could possibly be. "The only thing that will take down Sandra's Dragons are other Dragon Moves and Ice moves… oh… this is TOO good!" I whooped, punching the air. I ran over to Quagsire, who turned to me and let out a long yawn. A bubble appeared in the air. I recognised it immediately and dodged out of the way. Misty, however, did not move. She must have hardly seen the clear bubble approach her, before popping in her face. She in turn let out a long yawn…

"And I only just woke up…" she stretched, before lowering herself onto the ground and curling up. She was sound asleep.

"I guess a Yawn really is contagious," I grinned, trying to remember where I had heard that joke before. "Quagsire, you were great!" Quagsire smiled and went to tackle me once again. "Yes, I know about your Body Slam, pal!" I laughed, evading Quagsire's playful attack. "Return for now," I called, withdrawing the amphibious Pokemon back into its Poke Ball. I looked back to Gabite and Aggron, who were both still reeling in pain from Quagsire's super effective attacks. "I really must have underestimated Quagsire," I said to no-one in particular. Pelipper was the only one who had come away from this little misunderstanding unscathed, who had now perched itself on the ground and made itse. I knew that I would need to heal Aggron and Gabite before the match after taking such critical damage from Quagsire. They still glared at one another though as they both tried to stand back at a vertical position, as if having a contest to see who could stand upright first. Without any indication, Pelipper got up to its feet and began to waddle away from the competitive duo. They stopped dead as they watched the pelican Pokemon walk off. I could not help but chuckle at this.

"Pel, Pelipper!" it seemed to mock Gabite and Aggron as it took off into the sky and began circling above us. I took the opportunity to check on Misty, but she was still sound asleep. It would take some time for her to wake up yet. The silence was suddenly broken when I a howl of wind blew throughout the meadow. A tornado had formed not too far from where we were stood.

"This is bad!" I shouted, as the tornado became larger. It was obviously heading right for us. I began to fumble around for their Poke Balls, but I was rushing so much that I could not figure out whose was whose. "Run for it!" I shouted, lifting up Misty in my arms. Pelipper began to fly well ahead of me, as Aggron and Gabite also managed to get ahead of me. Gabite was moving in leaps and bounds, whereas Aggron was simply taking long strides. Although I had nowhere near the strength that any of my Pokemon possessed, I managed to keep a reasonable pace. But when I looked back, the tornado had gotten much closer. Whilst looking back, I could see something in the sky, heading right past the tornado at great speed and then facing it just behind me. I saw the creature fire something from its mouth, some sort of attack. Within seconds, the tornado began to die. The wind turned into nothing more than a breeze. The dark clouds began to disperse as well. I stopped running, panting and out of breath. I lowered Misty to the ground, trying to get a good look at the creature that had stopped the twister… a Flygon. Instantly, I knew what had happened, as Sandra leapt down from its back.

"Did I scare you, then?" Sandra smirked mischievously, as her Flygon came to rest beside her.

"Hardly," I shrugged, still trying to catch my breath. "I see you're getting some late training done. I gather you had your Flygon create that Twister?"

"Not my Flygon," she grinned. "One of my other Dragon Pokemon, but I'll savour the surprises until our battle."

"Fine by me," I nodded. "I've got a few tricks up my sleeve too, but I'll save them for now."

"As you like," Sandra turned away nonchalantly, facing a nearby tree. "I saw what happened with you and that guy in the cape."

"Guy with a cape?" I asked, bewildered by her statement. "Oh… you mean Darkhan?"

"Yes," she nodded, still her back was turned to me. "I should warn you, Jonathyn, he's not just any regular trainer."

"I kind of gathered that when he nearly chopped my head off!" I replied. "But he's gone now."

"But he'll be back," Sandra interrupted. "You don't know Darkhan… nobody does…"

"What exactly are you getting at, Sandra?" I folded my arms as I spoke. Sandra peered back at me a little, but then turned back and clicked her fingers. Her Flygon nuzzled up beside her, before she climbed on its back once again. "Where are you going?"

"This isn't the time to talk about this," Sandra said coldly. "Both you and I need to concentrate on the upcoming battle. I look forward to it." With no time for me to respond, her Flygon flapped its wings and took off to the skies once again. I watched as she left, before hearing a tired grunt from behind me. Upon turning around, Misty had awoken to Pelipper prodding her with its beak. She pushed herself up from the ground with her hands, clambering back up to her feet. "Nice to see you're awaken, lazybones," I laughed. Misty did not seem too impressed at my mockery.

"Shut up," she yawned, stretching her arms above her head. "It's not like I chose to sleep."

"Sorry," I apologised a little more sincerely. "I guess Quagsire's moves are a bit off since being away."

"It's no problem," she smiled. "It's nearly time for your match. You should take your Pokemon to the Pokemon Center. After all, you want them to be one hundred per cent match fit."

"Good point," I nodded. "Shall we go?" I turned to my Pokemon, only to see that Gabite and Aggron were in each other's faces once again. I don't know what had sparked it this time, but I knew that it wasn't going to be good. "Will you two just get along for a second?" I scowled, a little annoyed at this routine. But my Pokemon seemed to completely block out my words. They were focused on each other, almost as though they were about to engage in combat. Pelipper stayed out of the way, standing next to Misty and myself. "How are they going to get along?"

"It's best if you just let them duke it out," Misty sighed. "It's the only way that they will be able to determine just which one of them is the best."

"You really think so?" I pondered the thought, before shaking my head negatively. "I can't let them do it," I sighed. "We're meant to be a team. You don't see the players of a soccer match battle each other, do you?"

"Which would you prefer? The relief of not having to worry about their rivalry or having to put up with this sort of thing every time they have to battle together?" Misty asked a little bit sternly. I let out another long and confused sigh. I really did not know what to do.

"Do you two want to battle each other?" I approached the feuding Pokemon. They did not look at me, but simultaneously nodded. To be honest, I wasn't too surprised by the answer. "Fine, I'll let you battle but on one condition. Once it's over, I don't want to see you two argue again. Let bygones be bygones, understood?" Once again, they bobbed their heads in approval, both smirking at each other confidently. "Pelipper, you probably shouldn't get involved. Return for now," I withdrew the Water Flying Type back into its Poke Ball, before looking over to the two Pokemon. They took a couple of steps back, positioning themselves as if to intimidate each other. My heart seemed to sink as they both lunged for each other. Gabite attempted to use a Dragon Claw, which Aggron was able to block using its Iron Head technique. Both attacks tried to outdo the other, but in the end both Pokemon jumped back and armed themselves for the second wave. Gabite launched itself forward using a Dragon Rush, slamming into Aggron's torso. Aggron staggered back a little, but did not fall as Gabite continued to push it backwards. Aggron let out a snarl, before smashing its skull downward with a second Iron Head, knocking Gabite down. It tried to stomp on its head with its giant hoof-like foot. But Gabite disappeared beneath the ground as Aggron pressed down on it. Aggron waited for Gabite to reappear.

"They're both going to put everything they have into this battle," Misty watched on in awe at the two power packed Pokemon. I said nothing to respond, my eyes still fixated on the battle. Gabite had still not appeared, but Aggron appeared to use Iron Head on the ground. I could feel a shockwave ripple across the surface, before Gabite suddenly reappeared looking rather dazed. Aggron charged forward, once again trying to connect with its Iron Head, but Gabite began stomping on the ground. The entire area began to shake, the Earthquake attack doing super effective damage to Aggron… or so I thought. It wasn't until I noticed that Aggron's skin had began to glow that I realised that it was using Protect to avoid being hurt. Gabite seemed to scowl, but continued using its Earthquake technique. In the end, Aggron could not maintain its Protect and it resulted in Aggron falling to the ground. Gabite seized the opportunity, hurling towards it with another Dragon Rush. However, Aggron unleashed the power stored for its Metal Burst attack, knocking Gabite down as well.

"This is intense!" I gasped, as both Pokemon seemed to have already drained a lot of power from their powerful attacks. Gabite slowly managed to get back up to its feet, before Aggron fired a bolt of electricity at it. The Shock Wave did no damage to the Ground Type, which appeared to surprise Aggron. Gabite lunged forward, poising its claws for another Dragon Claw attack. Aggron quickly used Protect as the claws slashed against it, before headbutting Gabite right in the face with another Iron Head. Gabite stumbled backwards, before burrowing beneath the ground again. This time, once it had fully disappeared from view, the ground shook once more. The Earthquake seemed to gain power whilst Gabite used Dig at the same time. Aggron roared out in pain, his Protect manoeuvre failing him this time. Aggron fell the ground with a loud thud, but was sent skyward as Gabite resurfaced, slamming into its bitter rival. Aggron began to fall back to the ground, but not before unleashing one more Metal Burst attack which sent Gabite flying. Both Pokemon slammed to the ground and were down for the count, both of them apparently completely exhausted.

"Wh…What happened? Who has won?" Misty stammered in disbelief. I let out a small smile of relief.

"They're both as strong as each other," I replied, walking over to my fainted Pokemon. "They both have the same strength, the same passion and the same will to win. In all honesty, I could not have asked for a better result." I stood right in between Gabite and Aggron, both weakly lifting their heads to stare each other down, but I blocked their view, switching views from one to the other. Slowly, they managed to get back up to their feet. They both tried to lunge past me, but fell down to one knee in exhaustion. "Do you understand now?" I said to them both sternly. "You do not have to see which of you is better. I care for you equally as each other and the rest of our friends."

"He's right," Misty smiled, walking up to my side. "You don't always have to solve your problems by battling. All you have to do is try your best. No matter how strong you are, there will always be someone stronger than you. But you will excel them in different aspects. So don't try to be the best Pokemon around, just be the very best that you can be." Aggron and Gabite seemed to absorb these words, despite the fact that they were out of breath. They glared at each other briefly, before looking away from one another.

"Let's get you both to a Pokemon Center," I smiled. "We need to go out and beat Sandra. Then we're through to the next round. You both up for that?" It did not take long for them both to make their replies quite clear. They both nodded, whilst producing confident growls from their mouths. "Good," I replied with a grin. "Let's get you healed up. Return!" Two beams of red light shot out from the two Poke Balls. Gabite and Aggron both returned into a separate ball. I checked the time on the Poketch attached to my wrist. It was almost quarter past eleven. Only another three quarters of an hour until the battle would commence. "We'd better get a move on," I said to Misty, starting to walk off.

"You really think that you can beat Sandra?" she asked.

"I'm sure," I replied with a nod. "But she said something earlier that makes me wonder about her. She was saying stuff about Darkhan… and how he isn't like other trainers."

"You think she has some sort of connection with him?"

"I don't know, to be truthful," I replied. "There's definitely something that she isn't telling us. And when I defeat her, I'll find out what it is…" my eyes seemed to narrow as I said this.

"Didn't you say that she has to make out with Harley if you win?" Misty asked.

"I'm sure that this proposition would be a bit more suitable than going at it with that weirdo," I shrugged. "We don't have much time left and I need to heal my Pokemon before its too late." I quickly began walking back from the meadow towards the Trainer Village. Misty fumbled for a moment, before quickly running to catch me up. I wasn't too sure what to expect, but I was sure that it wouldn't be too long before I found out…

**TO BE CONTINUED**

_**Next Time:** The Fourth Round Battles begin, with Jonathyn battling Sandra. Can our hero defeat the powerful Dragon Master? And what kind of secrets is Sandra keeping from Jonathyn?_


	26. Chapter 26

_**DISCLAIMER:** For goodness sake, I do not own Pokemon. Don't you people know that by now?_

_**MESSAGE TO READERS:** So… the one hundred thousand word milestone has now passed. Hooray for me. I had a bit of trouble writing the beginning of this chapter, but got into it a bit more once the actual battling begins. Although I have rewritten the beginning many times now and I'm fairly happy with it. This chapter also has a slight homage to "The Darkness Within", which is by far my second favourite Pokemon Story. (if you were wondering which is my first, you're reading it!) So, go grab a lemonade or something, kick back and enjoy!_

* * *

**THE LEAGUE OF CHAMPIONS**

**CHAPTER 26: BEGIN THE FOURTH BATTLE! THE DRAGON WITHIN!**

"Hurry up, Misty!" I called back to my girlfriend rapidly. "I'm going to be late." Misty was plodding wearily behind me. I had left her in my dust as I had raced to the Indigo Plateau and had already given my Pokemon to the Nurse Joy that was on duty. Thankfully, they would be fully healed with little time left to spare. Finally, Misty had caught up with me and sat down on the bench where I was sat.

"How long have you been waiting for me?" she asked, not knowing how much time had lapsed since I had run on ahead of her. I simply shrugged. "Quite a while, I gather," she answered her own question, to which I nodded. "Just as well really, I'm still pretty tired from that power nap." She suddenly stopped, noticing something that seemed strange to her. "What's wrong with your leg?" she asked.

"Huh?" I replied, bewildered to what she meant. I looked down at my leg to see that it was going into some sort of spasm. It was bouncing up and down rapidly and uncontrollably. Upon seeing this, I let out a small laugh. "Oh, it's just nerves," I responded.

"I would never have thought of you to be the sort of person who gets nervous," Misty frowned a little.

"It's human nature, I suppose," I stammered, trying to press down on my leg to stop it shaking, but the force simply travelled up my arm and made my shoulder shake as well. Misty chuckled at the sight as I stood up. My feet were plagued by the sensation of pins and needles as I walked over to the Nurse Joy, who was holding a tray with the four Poke Balls that I had given in. I figured that it might take less time to heal just the four Pokemon that I would battle with rather than have Houndoom and Nidorino at the same time. Bayleef had gone into the depository PC whilst I had Quagsire included in my party. Without delay, I removed the spheres from the tray. "Thanks very much, Nurse Joy," I gratefully said to her. She bowed to me accepting my thanks. "What are you going to do, Misty?" I asked as I walked back over to where she was sat.

"Hey guys," a male voice greeted us as he approached. I was quite surprised to see Brock had reappeared.

"Where have you been, Brock?" Misty asked him with a tone of slight concern. "I was getting a bit worried about you."

"I'm fine," he smiled politely. "Just keeping myself out of the way, that's all. Are you going to watch the battle?"

"Too right," she smiled, getting out of her seat having recovered from her recent bout of exhaustion. "Then I was going to go and watch Ash's match afterwards."

"You must have read my mind," Brock chuckled. "Jonathyn, you do your best out there."

"I always do," I grinned. "Don't worry, I've got this one covered. My Pokemon are fighting fit and ready to take Sandra down."

"Well that's good to hear," he nodded. "You should get a move on. They've tightened up security for some reason and getting around the place is a nightmare."

"Oh, that's right. You haven't heard about what's happened," Misty gasped. Had Brock really been away for this long? "I'll fill you in on the way," she said to him, before taking a couple of steps forward to where I was stood. "Good luck, Jon," she softly encouraged me, giving me a short kiss on the lips. The words 'Thank You' did not come out of my mouth, even though my lips moved to say the words. She let out a small giggle, before walking off with Brock towards the stands. I would have to take a slightly different route to get to the Water Field. The corridors seemed to be packed with police officers and security personnel. It was actually quite astounding when you realised just how serious they were taking this. And all for the sake of the likes of Darkhan and Team Rocket. As I walked, the thought of the Swordsman re-entered my mind. There was something about him that I truly admired, but at the same time some sort of dread filled my thoughts. I tried not to think about it, but the thoughts just kept flooding back to me like waves lapping on a sea shore. I had reached the mouth of the tunnel that would lead to the Trainer Lounge of the Water Field. I quickly sat down at a locker which once again had my name and identification number attached to it. My Poketch displayed to me that I had just over five minutes to make my final preparations. As I sat down, I noticed someone walking over to me. For some reason, I stood up again instantly. Sandra seemed to be a little more disturbing than her usual self.

"I was hoping I'd see you before the battle again," Sandra coldly spoke to me. I remembered when I had first met her, she was a bit more competitive and bouncy, but now she was almost motionless, as inanimate as a lamp stand. "When the battle is over, I want you to come with me. There is something that I need to tell you."

"What is it?" I asked, now even more apprehensive about what she was keeping from me. "If it is so important, why can't it be said now?"

"Because now is not the right time," Sandra snapped at me harshly. "To be honest, I should not tell you at all..."

"Why not?" I demanded. "If you are making such a big deal out of it, then I want to know."

"I can't tell you," Sandra quietly muttered. "Sorry for wasting your time."

"Hold on," I clasped her by the shoulder. "How about I change the bet. You want to have your Gabite breed with mine, right? Well, if I win then you do not have to make out with that Harley guy, but instead you need to tell me what you know?" Sandra fell completely silent, almost exactly the same way that Darkhan had done after I had confronted him and told the story like it was. "Well?" I impatiently scowled. "You haven't got long to decide, they're already announcing the battle out there."

"Alright," she nodded, gaining a little bit more of her normal behaviour back. "In that case, you'll never find out."

"Want to bet?" I retorted.

"Hmm… what have we been doing so far?" she sarcastically smirked, before walking past me. I let out another small growl, before following her down the corridor. The layout of the Water Field was slightly different than the other arenas. Rather than two tunnels at each end of the field, there were two running parallel with one another, coming out at exactly half way across the battlefield. The reason for this I did not know, whether or not they had undergone some sort of refurbishment. At the very end of the tunnel, two Officer Jennys were stood side by side, with their hands clasped behind their backs.

"State your name and identification number," one of the Officers spoke somewhat sternly.

"Uhh… Jonathyn Christian, KAN-259… I think," I tried to remember. The Officer Jennys then both smiled at me and stepped out of the way. "Wow… you really are tight on this security business, aren't you?" I said with a voice of surprise.

"To be fair, we know that you're not one of the bad guys," the other Jenny smiled. "But we've been asked to check all the trainers today, just in case."

"But we take our job very seriously," the more stern faced Jenny added.

"Well, you're doing a good job," I gave them both a thumbs up, realising just how lame that was. "Keep it up," I smiled, before walking out from the tunnel into the main arena. The crowd roared as both Sandra and I appeared at the same time from our respective tunnels. We both gave each other a quick glance, before walking over to our respective podiums. I could not hear a single word that the announcer was saying over the personal announcement system due to the sheer volume that the fans were producing. My mouth was starting to go dry, a problem which I tried to resolve by licking my lips. It was truly amazing… the rush that you get when the entire crowd is cheering for you… it made me feel good inside. And it was the passion with which they cheered that made the adrenaline pumped even harder through my veins. I just could not stop staring at the crowd, even as the podium that I had walked on began to rise from the ground. The Water Field itself looked unchanged from when Misty had had her battle with Paul in the earlier stages of the tournament. Several pontoons floated in the pool, some of which were large enough to fit two large Pokemon on, others were much smaller, barely big enough to manage one small Pokemon. Sandra was smiling at me. All the coldness seemed to have vanished from her. She was back to her competitive self, I was sure.

"Ready to lose?" she taunted me. I said nothing, grabbing the Poke Ball that I was to throw forward first. The official raised his flag to me, to which I nodded to signify that I was ready to battle. Sandra then did the same.

"Begin the match!" he called out to us both. The crowd went nuts as we both threw our Poke Balls forward. My first choice was Pelipper. I figured that it's compatibility to both aquatic and aerial combat would provide the edge that I would need early on in the match. Sandra's first Dragon Pokemon appeared. I recognised it instantly as her infamous Flygon that I had seen her use so many times before. "This is it…" I sighed to myself, quite intimidated by the insect-like dragon. It's bulging red eyes seemed to pass through Pelipper and towards me. "Pelipper, use Steel Wing!" I shouted, making the first move. Pelipper flapped its wings towards the also airborne Flygon, before gliding towards it with its wings filled with silver.

"Flygon, use Steel Wing too!" Sandra ordered. The Dragon roared, before approaching the attacking Pelipper with its own version of Steel Wing. It's rhombus shaped wings collided head on with my Pelipper's. They carried on flying forward, the momentum not allowing the attacks to carry on. "Again, Flygon!" Sandra called. The Flygon acrobatically spun itself around and headed for Pelipper a second time.

"Pelipper, try Steel Wing again!" I yelled. Pelipper also quickly turned around and surged forward with its wings filling with silver again. Just like before, the two attacks collided as they passed one another. It was almost like watching a joust, with both combatant apparently equal in speed and power. "Don't give up, Pelipper!" I encouraged it the best I could. "Keep on using Steel Wing!"

"Don't tell me that's the only move it knows," Sandra laughed. "Flygon, show it how a Steel Wing should look." Both Flygon and Pelipper manoeuvred themselves to attack, both of their Steel Wings slamming against each other. A loud chinking sound could be heard as impact was made.

"Looks like Pelipper isn't the only one," I mocked slightly. Sandra simply smiled at my taunt.

"Flygon, fly right above the surface of the water and then use Steel Wing from below!" Sandra called. This was a tactic that I thought I could use to my advantage. I also had a little bit of time as Flygon tried to turn around in mid air.

"Pelipper, skim the surface as well and prepare a Steel Wing," I ordered it. Both Pokemon swooped down to just a few inches above the water. Small ripples could be seen as they both glided towards each other. "Wait for it…" I muttered to myself, as they both drew nearer and nearer to one another. "Underwater now!" I called. Pelipper cawed out, before suddenly dropping beneath the water. The Flygon suddenly stopped as its target vanished from its view. "Now surface!" I called. It took but a second for Pelipper to respond, it's Steel Wing connecting to the unsuspecting Flygon's underbelly. It let out a groan as the Steel Wing hit its mark. The crowd acknowledged my strategy by applauding the move.

"That's a good trick you just pulled," Sandra smiled. "But we've got some of our own. Flygon, use Dragonbreath!" Strange energy began to swirl in the Dragon's mouth, before spitting a large beam straight at Pelipper, striking it at great speed. Pelipper was knocked skyward and began to fall back towards the water.

"Aerial Ace!" I called. This instruction seemed to work out a lot better than I had planned it, as the momentum of Pelipper's fall seemed to boost its speed as it spread its wings far apart before slamming into the Flygon once again. Flygon landed hard on one of the podiums, sending a small wave across the pool of water. Pelipper began to circle the arena, since it could not hover in the air for very long at one time. "Let's wrap this up with a Hydro Pump! Go!" I called, hoping that Pelipper could deliver the final blow quickly. Pelipper began to fly down towards the fallen Dragon, spitting a large torrent of water from its bill.

"Flygon, Sandstorm!" Sandra called. The Flygon brisk flapped its wings, creating a tornado of golden sand across the water, blocking the Hydro Pump attack.

"Pelipper, fly around it and use Hydro Pump again!" I instructed. Pelipper did indeed manage to evade the Sandstorm and launched a second violent flow of water at Flygon.

"Sandstorm again!" Sandra ordered. Flygon was now airborne again, sending a second Sandstorm just as the first one had dispersed. The Hydro Pump splashed against the Sandstorm again, sending small droplets of water and grains of sand in nearly every angle, other than towards Flygon and Pelipper.

"I see what you are up to," I realised. "You're using the Sandstorm to deflect the Hydro Pump. Very good."

"I told you we had some of my own tricks up my sleeve," Sandra grinned confidently. "But I think it might be time for a change. Flygon, come back!" Sandra's decision to change Pokemon caught me by surprise. I couldn't help but wonder what she would use to replace her Flygon. The answer came just after Sandra threw her second Poke Ball forward. The creature that had emerged was a limbless serpent that had coiled itself like a compressed spiral on one of the floating podiums. I could see that it had a small horn protruding from its forehead. Two tuft like ears wisped back on the side of its head. A small orb just underneath its chin was a slightly darker shade of blue than the rest of its body. "This is my Dragonair," Sandra grinned menacingly. "It's definitely one of my favourite Dragon Pokemon."

"That's nice," I shrugged, not really caring. "I'll beat it in seconds. Pelipper, show what your Hydro Pump can do." Pelipper flew straight at the Dragonair, spitting another Hydro Pump towards the serpentine Dragon.

"Go into the water," Sandra grinned. With that, the Dragonair slid into the water. The Hydro Pump narrowly missing it.

"You're forgetting that Pelipper is just as good in the water as it is in the air!" I called to Sandra. "Go in after it, Pelipper! Use Aerial Ace under the water." Pelipper let out another caw, before tucking its wings into its side, diving beak first into the water. It slammed beak first into the Dragonair, but it did not seem to do as much damage as I would have liked.

"That would have worked if the water hadn't slowed it down," Sandra called over to me. "And you've also played into my trap. This is really going to shock your Pelipper."

"What do you mean?" I raised an eyebrow, wondering whether she was just toying with me.

"I mean, this Thunderbolt!" Sandra called, as the Dragonair's orb began to glow a bright yellow colour. The pool of water was suddenly iluuminated by Dragonair's Thunderbolt. Streaks of yellow light scattered beneath the surface. Once they had stopped, Pelipper quickly appeared and somehow managed to reach the safety of one of the podium. That attack was critical, especially hitting a Pokemon with a dual weakness to electric attacks. "Water conducts electricity, making that particular Thunderbolt even more powerful than normal.

"That doesn't mean its over," I sneered. "Roost, Pelipper!" The moment was perfect. Pelipper was already on one of the pontoons, making Roost's healing effects instantly begin. The white feathers began to float around Pelipper's body as it began to regain some of its strength.

"Oh, no you don't!" Sandra snarled, much more competitively than she had been. "Hyper Beam, Dragonair!" A small ball of orange energy began to form inside the Dragonair's orb beneath its chin, before opening its mouth and firing the powerful beam of energy. It rocketed towards Pelipper, who was still healing with Roost.

"To the skies, Pelipper! Now!" I desperately shouted to the pelican Pokemon. It's eyes widened and quickly took flight, the Hyper Beam narrowly missing and exploding as it landed on the podium on which Pelipper was roosting just milliseconds earlier. "Back down and Roost to full health!" I called. It quickly lowered itself onto the same podium and continued to use its healing technique. "I know that after a Pokemon uses Hyper Beam, it takes a moment for it to recharge. Plenty of time for my Pelipper to finish using Roost at least."

"That may be so," Sandra grinned. "But just how much longer do you think you can fend us off for? Remember, neither one of us have lost a Pokemon yet. But that is about to change." Dragonair and Pelipper seemed equally as competitive as Sandra and I were. Pelipper was still roosting, almost back at full power. "Dragonair, Flamethrower!"

"Damn, how did it recharge so fast?" I wondered out loud, as the Dragon Pokemon spat a stream of fire towards Pelipper.

"Dragonair is fast anyway, but your Pelipper is just slow," Sandra mocked. Pelipper snorted a little as it heard this. The Flamethrower approached further.

"Dodge!" I called, Pelipper taking to the sky to avoid the attack as it had done before as soon as my instruction was called. "And slow? A bit like your brain," I retorted. "Don't you know that fire type moves don't do much against water types? That's a rookie mistake!"

"Is it?" Sandra replied with a sneer. "Thunderbolt, Dragonair!" With that, the Dragon sent another bolt of electricity at Pelipper, striking it with deadly force once again. Pelipper cawed out in pain as the voltage surged through its conductive body. It began to fall towards the water once again. "While your Pelipper was using Roost, Thunderbolt would not have been as effective. I used the Flamethrower to at least get it into the air before firing the attack." I could not help but admire her knowledge and strategy, but was annoyed that she had these skills on this occasion. "Hyper Beam, go!" Sandra called. Dragonair quickly exhaled another beam of orange energy directly at the plummeting Pelipper. The attack struck fatally, knocking Pelipper even further off course and crashing into the water with an almighty splash. Water shot everywhere, as the Dragonair coolly coiled itself up on one of the pontoons. Pelipper, however, was unable to move. It had been completely wiped out by that awesome combination.

"Pelipper can no longer battle," the official raised his flag high. "This round goes to Dragonair." I could only call Pelipper back into its Poke Ball, as the crowd was going pretty much insane with excitement.

"Don't you worry, Pelipper," I smiled. "You did great and I know that we can win this." After placing the defeated Pokemon's ball back in my pocket, I began to wonder which Pokemon would be best to battle it. Aggron? I don't think it would fare too well against this Dragonair, particularly if it knew Fire Type moves. Possibly Gabite, yet it would be up against another of its kind. No. It was time to unleash the Pokemon that could provide the greatest help to me yet… "Quagsire, let's go!" The Poke Ball opened just after I had tossed it forward. The strange fish Pokemon seemed quite mellow, with one of its traditional gaping smiles. The Dragonair simply stared at it, as did Sandra.

"You're really trying to use this Water thing to your advantage, aren't you?" she chuckled out loud. "It won't help you, although it is a slight inconvenience to me that you have a Pokemon that can withstand quite a lot of attacks. But we'll still try. Dragonair, give it your Aqua Tail!" The Dragonair began to wriggle through the air, dragging its tail in the water, before flicking it up and smacking Quagsire across the face. Sandra seemed to be quite content that the attack had hit, but Quagsire simply turned its head back around with another dim witted smile. Sandra gasped a little. The Aqua Tail had barely done any damage at all. "How the…" she stammered.

"Quagsire, use Body Slam!" I figured that I would leave Ice Beam as a little surprise for later. Quagsire raised its fins into the air and wrapped them around the Dragonair's neck, before slamming into the ground almost as though it was playing with it or showing it affection as it would do for me. Still, it done the trick as Dragonair tried desperately to free itself from Quagsire's hold.

"Return, Dragonair!" Sandra called, the Dragon fading from beneath the Quagsire before reaching any more harm. She muttered something to the Poke Ball, before placing it to one side. "Not bad, Jonathyn," she nodded to me. "You've got a mighty fine Quagsire there, but I know how to defeat it. Take two, Flygon!" she called, the insect-like Dragon reappearing in the air. Quagsire smiled as soon as it appeared, trying to jump up and grab its tail affectionately, but to no avail. Flygon seemed quite bemused by this.

"Your Flygon has already got the disadvantage here," I grinned. "It has already taken damage during the battle against Pelipper. Do you really think it can outlast Quagsire?"

"You'll soon find out," she sneered to me, as her Flygon prepared to engage in combat once again…

**TO BE CONTINUED**

_**NEXT TIME:** Already down one Pokemon, can Jonathyn make a comeback? With Quagsire, Aggron and Gabite all still fighting fit, can they defeat Sandra's four Dragon Type Pokemon? Will Jonathyn be able to unlock Sandra's mysterious secret? Make sure you read the next explosive chapter!_


	27. Chapter 27

_**DISCLAIMER:** Take a stab in the dark at what the next sentence will be, I dare you. I do not own Pokemon._

* * *

**THE LEAGUE OF CHAMPIONS**

**CHAPTER 27: STILL FIGHTING DRAGONS! BATTLE OF TWO GABITES!**

She seemed to have totally underestimated it's power. It might be the most intelligent Pokemon in the world, but it definitely gave her a scare when the attempted Aqua Tail attack did nothing at all to it. It was almost as though it was that dim that it did not even acknowledge the pain. Either that or it had a higher defense level than I first thought. She had now brought out her Flygon to try and take out my Quagsire, although I still had not revealed it's knowledge of the Ice Beam technique that could be the one thing that will turn the battle in my favour.

"My Dragonair's attacks can't penetrate your Quagsire's defense," Sandra admitted to me. "But I know my Flygon can. Flygon, Fly up high and absorb some sunlight!" With a single mighty flap of it's diamond shaped wings, it rose several feet into the air. It was completely out of range of a physical attack, so Focus Punch would be no good at all. And one of Quagsire's unorthodox Body Slams would also prove pointless. Would it be time to unveil Ice Beam? Not yet it wasn't…

"That can only mean one thing," I thought aloud. "It's going to use Solarbeam. But it takes time to charge that move up." I prayed that this next attack would work. "Quagsire, Yawn!" I called to it. Quagsire closed its eyes and its already gaping mouth widened as it let out a long yawn. A large bubble began to float up, not as quickly say as any other sort of attack. "Come on… please hit it before it fires that Solarbeam…" I wished to myself. The bubble floated higher and higher. It was not far from Flygon now.

"Fire!" Sandra called. With that, Flygon launched the Solarbeam, which popped the Yawn bubble before it could reach its target. It hurtled towards Quagsire at an ominous pace, yet Quagsire watched it like a child looking at a toy.

"Jump in the water, Quagsire!" I grinned, even though the colossal Solarbeam was about to engulf it. But it jumped into the water, leaving the solar powered attack to strike the podium, with my Pokemon sustaining no damage at all. "Your Solarbeam took so long to fire that Quagsire had plenty of time to dodge it. And your Flygon being so high up didn't help either. Now it's our turn to attack. Quagsire, time to show them an Ice Beam!" Quagsire's head popped up just above the surface of the water, forming a small blue ball in its mouth. The freezing cold beam flew skywards, directly at the Flygon.

"Sandstorm!" Sandra shouted, as another twister of sand and dirt suddenly appeared with a mighty flap of the dragon's wings. The Ice Beam clashed with the Sandstorm, stopping it dead in its tracks. I let out a small scowl of frustration, as Sandra looked over to me with the smuggest of grins. "You didn't think that I hadn't expected some sort of Ice attack, do you?" she chuckled. "As the World's Greatest Dragon Breeder, I know that all Dragons detest the cold. So I've trained each and every one of my Dragons to counter all sorts of Ice attacks." Upon hearing this, I scowled even deeper. How could I have not thought that she wasn't expecting the Ice attack?

"We'll just have to try a different strategy then, won't we?" I sneered back to her. "Quagsire, use Yawn again." A second drowsy bubble bulged from Quagsire's mouth, floating up towards the Flygon.

"Don't make me laugh," she cackled back to me. "Flygon, burst their bubble with Dragonbreath!" The dragon spat another river of reptilian breath to pop the bubble before it even came closer, when I noticed that it had now lowered itself considerably since missing the Solarbeam just before. Now was a perfect chance to really stun it.

"Dodge and use Focus Punch!" I called. The Dragonbreath narrowly missed Quagsire this time, as it surged up from beneath the water, it's fin-like hand balling into a fist. It swung with considerable force, striking the insect dragon beneath its jaw. "Ice Beam now!" I begged, as Quagsire was now right next to it. Quagsire fired the freezing beam of ice straight into its long neck, causing the dragon to roar in agony. It began to fall from the air back towards the water, having taking heavy damage from my Focus Punch and Ice Beam combination. Sandra seemed a little bit unsettled by this, but only barely. All I could do was wait for the Flygon to crash back down to the water below.

"Steel Wing," Sandra smirked. The Flygon's eyes widened, almost with an enraged gaze. Just inches from the water, it stopped itself and darted back up towards Quagsire, thrusting a silver wing across its face. Quagsire slammed into one of the pontoons, which simply showed the power that Flygon was now using. But to my, and everyone elses' surprise, Quagsire simply sat up with the same gormless smile across its face. It jumped into the water and began to splash around playfully. Thankfully, it did not know the move "Splash" itself… It seemed to be enjoying its time frolicking in the water, when I suddenly caught on to what it was doing… "Flygon, Solarbeam!" Sandra competitively roared, as the Flygon began to ascend into the sky.

"Yawn as fast as you can!" I urged to Quagsire, who launched the bubble whilst still playing in the water. The bubble began to rise higher and higher. Flygon was still charging the Solarbeam attack.

"Fly around it and fire the Solarbeam right up close to it!" Sandra shouted. The bubble loomed ever closer, but just as it had been instructed to do the Flygon swerved past it, still storing light energy. It was flying straight towards Quagsire, who could not stop cavorting in the pool. "Do it!" Sandra whooped, as Flygon managed to get right in Quagsire's face. Quagsire simply looked up at it.

"Yawn again!" I called, hoping that Quagsire's next Yawn could hit right before the Solarbeam fired. The bubble popped right in Flygon's face, causing it to shudder and flinch. It fired the Solarbeam way off course, the light energy heading straight into the sky. It dropped gently into the water, with its eyes closed. It was snoring quite lightly. "Now your Flygon's fast asleep and completely helpless," I grinned, knowing that this was the end of her powerful Flygon. "Wrap this one up with Ice Beam!" I called. Quagsire smiled, before launching the Ice Beam right at the Flygon. It managed to freeze it within a large block of ice as it still slumbered. The ice quickly shattered, leaving the Flygon unconscious on it's back floating in the water.

"Flygon can no longer continue," the official announced, raising a flag to confirm Flygon's defeat. "Quagsire has won this round." Sandra called back her whitewashed Dragon, apparently thanking it once it had returned into the comfort of its Poke Ball. She pulled out another ball in its place.

"Flygon may be one of my most powerful Dragons," Sandra began, "But that doesn't mean I haven't got other strong ones too. Now I'll show you just why I am the World's Greatest Dragon Breeder. Gabite, I choose you!" she launched the Poke Ball forward. The Cave Pokemon appeared on a pontoon just in front of where Quagsire was still splashing around. "What is that thing doing anyway?" Sandra titled her head at the Fish Pokemon's strange behaviour.

"Water Absorb," I replied. "It heals itself when it comes into contact with water."

"I see. Then I guess that I'll just have to get rid of that Quagsire using other methods," she glared over to me cunningly. "Gabite, use Attract!" The shark-like dragon held its hands close to its chest, just as I had seen it do so when we first met. A small golden heart appeared in front of its hands. It thrust them forwards, sending a shower of golden hearts towards Quagsire. The hearts dispersed over Quagsire's head. It looked around, a little bemused before continuing it's splashing session in the pool. Sandra's jaw dropped when she noticed the attack had no effect. I too was surprised. But I couldn't help but wonder whether this was due to the fact that Quagsire was fortunate enough to be the same gender as her Gabite, or it was that dim witted that it didn't know what was going on.

"You'll have to try something better than that," I smirked, almost disbelieving just how much of an advantage I was gaining through the use of this one Pokemon. Sandra simply grinned at me as she had done before.

"Gabite, Swagger," Sandra called. I blinked a little at this, as the Gabite let out a long sigh, swaying from side to side. For some reason, Quagsire's smile turned from that of glee to one of a little more frustration. It was almost as though her Gabite had awoken some power from with it. Upon noticing this, I thought it would be the perfect time to attack.

"Thanks for the boost, Sandra," I called over to her mockingly. "Quagsire, show it your Focus Punch." Quagsire clenched its fist and swung it with even more force than it had done against the Flygon. However, the crowd winced along with myself with its own attack struck it across its jaw. What had just happened?

"Worked like a charm," she chuckled. "Quagsire is confused… not that it wasn't before."

"Don't make fun of my Quagsire," I snapped. "Besides, there's a simple solution to that tactic. Quagsire, Return!" I recalled my destructive Quagsire back into its Poke Ball for now. It was a shame too, as it had been on a roll up until that point. Now it was down to which Pokemon to use next… Aggron or Gabite? I knew that Gabite would instantly fall for the other one's Attract. Aggron? I didn't know, but if it did then I knew that I'd be in serious trouble. And even if it wasn't affected by Attract, she would more than likely use Swagger again to confuse it. This could well be one of the biggest gambles of my Pokemon League experience yet.

"Time to fight fire with fire," I snarled. "Gabite, show them how it is done!" I tossed the Poke Ball forward, as my own shark-dragon Pokemon emerged. It stretched its narrow arms, letting out a snarl as it locked eyes with it's female doppelganger. I could not help but wonder how this tactic would turn out, but I knew I would have to act fast to prevent Sandra causing too much stress with her Attract technique. Sandra herself had her eyes fixated on her prize.

"It's nice to see that you're so willing to let your Gabite be mates with mine," she beamed uncontrollably. "Down to business! Gabite, Attract!" The words I did not want to hear came straight away. The heart was beginning to take form in front of her chest. In order to keep my battling dream alive, I had to act now!

"Gabite, into the water!" I shouted, knowing that this was the only way to avoid the attack effectively. Gabite dived to one side, as the hearts began to scatter themselves across the arena. They popped upon coming into contact with the surface of the water. "Now Dragon Rush!" This could work quite well, as the translucent water could camouflage Gabite, especially with its blue scales. A blue streak of light suddenly burst up from beneath the waves, crashing against the female Gabite who cried out in pain as my own Gabite's attack landed super effectively. I let out a smug grin, but Sandra simply shook her head at me.

"Anything you can do, we can do better," she seemed to sing as she focused her mind on the next instruction. "Dragon Rush back!" she called. In almost an identical fashion, the female Gabite burst forward with the powerful attack, striking my own Gabite with deadly force. Gabite let out a long cry, clutching the area of its body where the attack had connected. "Follow up with Attract!" Sandra ordered, a sudden eruption of small hearts filled the arena, heading straight for Gabite.

"Into the water again!" I shouted, beginning to realise how much trouble this technique could cause. Narrowly, Gabite avoided the infatuating hearts.

"Aerial Ace!" Sandra called. My eyes widened, unsure as to whether or not I had heard her properly. Gabite seemed to fly through the air, somersaulting down and smacking into Gabite's skull. Once the waves had finished crashing, there was complete silence for just a moment, before something burst out of the water… in fact, there were two of them. Both Gabites had somehow managed to get back out from the water and back onto a floating pontoon. There was a short stand-off, as the crowd eagerly watched on with incredible anticipation.

"I see what you mean by Dragon Breeder," I murmured loud enough for Sandra to hear. "You've taught your Dragon Pokemon all sorts of different moves. Your Gabite knows moves to immobilize the foe, before hitting with either great power or an unmissable move."

"You're observant, I'll give you that," Sandra smiled. "Battling is not just about strength and fancy moves alone, it's the combination of which you use them. But I've got to hand it to you, you've trained all of your Pokemon exceptionally."

"Thanks," I appreciatively nodded. "But don't think you can sweet talk me into losing, this battle isn't over yet!" Sandra smirked, as I decided on my next form of attack. "Gabite, use Dragon Rush one more time."

"Swagger quickly!" Sandra almost interrupted me before I could even finish ordering my attack. Her Gabite began to use the confusion inducing move, as Gabite hurtled towards it like a missile, enveloping itself with blue streaks. It began to rock a little in mid-flight, the effects of its confusion becoming evident. Despite this, it miraculous veered straight into the side of the female Gabite, knocking it straight into the water. Sandra gasped at the ferocious impact. My Gabite managed to skid to a stop on the pontoon, although it was wobbling a little due to the confusion. It shook its head a few times, before focusing entirely on where the female Gabite was in the pool. "It snapped out of confusion quicker than I expected," Sandra confessed. "Aerial Ace, Gabite!" The Gabite shot out of the water, turning in mid air and propelling itself directly at my Gabite. I tried to think of what I could do to avoid it, but I could not think quick enough. Sandra's Gabite slammed into mine with a lot of force, knocking it down on the podium. "Pin it down!" she grinned, as the Gabite stood on mine's elbow-like fins. Gabite tried to wriggle to get itself free, but her Gabite did not allow any form of escape.

"Gabite, try using Crunch!" I called, hoping that it could force the other dragon off of it. It lunged with its neck, but the female simply adjusted her body so that she was just out of range of the crushing attack.

"Attract!" Sandra gurned on looking pleased with what was happening. A rain of hearts dispersed over Gabite's body. The look in its eyes turned almost into heart shaped themselves. It's jaw hung open, a droplet of drool began to trickle from its bottom lip. The female Gabite leapt off my Gabite, landing on a separate podium just a few feet away.

"Gabite, use Dragon Rush!" I called. Gabite simply hunched itself, it's eyes locked with the female's figure. It was completely hopeless. "Gabite, snap out of it!" I shouted to it, trying to get its attention again. From the other side of the Water Field, I could see Sandra chuckling to herself, delighted that she now had the upper hand.

"Take a good look, Gabite. That's your future mate!" Sandra tauntingly smirked. To which Gabite in particular she was talking to, I did not know. "Show him some love! Dragon Rush, let's go!" The female let out a growl, covering herself in another blue aura, before bursting towards Gabite. Meanwhile, my own dragon would not even move.

"Look out!" I cried desperately. Gabite suddenly spread its arms and prepared to take the attack. It struck, but upon closer inspection I suddenly realised that it was doing something more than that. It's fins were glowing, as though it was about to perform a Dragon Claw attack. The female's Dragon Rush was just moments from striking, before Gabite thrust its fins forward, slashing the female across her torso. The blue aura faded, as she limply splashed into the water.

"How did it do that!?" Sandra gasped in disbelief.

"I don't think it meant to do that," I called back in response. "But I really wish it did!" We all waited for the female Gabite to reappear from the water, not knowing whether it would emerge defeated or still ready to battle onwards. Much to my frustration, it was still looking to battle. "Persistant things, aren't they?" I sighed to myself. "Gabite, use Dragon Claw again!"

"It won't work this time," Sandra boasted. "That last attack was a lucky shot. But it's head over heels in love with my Gabite. And I'm going to secure the victory this time. Gabite, Swagger!" The confusion inducing move was performed once again. Now Gabite was in serious trouble. Not only was it infatuated, but now confused as well. But I knew that it could still win and refused to switch it out even in these extreme circumstances. Gabite began to power up the Dragon Claw that I had ordered it to use, but it fell flat on its face, the perplexed Pokemon doing more damage to itself than anything else. "It's over, Jonathyn!" she taunted me yet again. "Finish it with Dragon Rush!" I felt helpless as the Dragon Type Move headed once again straight for my prone Gabite. It wobbled a little, before staring at the imminent striking attack. To my astonishment, it began to do exactly the same as it had done before, preparing to embrace it whilst charging up a Dragon Claw. Both moves connected at the same time. Both the dragons went flying backwards landing in the water. Sandra and I watched, both praying that our respective Gabite had survived the collision. Mine was the first to surface, completely annihilated. I could not believe that Gabite, despite battling with severe disadvantages had managed to do so well. But it was defeated. I went to let out a sigh, but stopped when I saw that Sandra's Gabite was in the same condition. They had both knocked each other out!

"This battle is a draw, as both Gabites cannot continue the battle!" the official announced, raising his flags high into the air. Even though Gabite had not necessarily won the battle, it had not lost either. I called it back into it's Poke Ball, acknowledging what a great feat it had achieved in this fight.

"You were awesome, Gabite!" I spoke softly to it. "Now you can relax!" I wondered what to do next. We were both down to two Pokemon each. I still had Aggron and Quagsire left, although Quagsire had already battled once already. Sandra on the other hand still had her Dragonair and one Pokemon that was yet to be revealed. I rapidly tried to think of what other Dragon Pokemon there were that she might possibly have… maybe a member of the evolutionary chain of her previously used Pokemon, like a Vibrava or perhaps a powerful Dragonite. Even a Garchomp could appear. Then there were other Pokemon that were still to follow…

"I'll take my freshest Pokemon out next!" Sandra shouted. "I choose you!" She threw her next Poke Ball from it. As I slightly expected, the Dragonair did not appear. Instead, a strange blue-scaled creature appeared. It floated with half it's torso and head above water level. It had a long, thin snout and two "antennae" like horns that almost resembled fins of some sort. On its back, a small pair of "wings" could be seen. All in all, it was a strange shaped Pokemon. The closest thing that I could think of it to resemble was a seahorse. The Kingdra looked more intimidating that the way I described it. Although it remained silent, the look in its eyes seemed to show that it had incredible ability.

"If you're starting fresh, then I guess I should too," I grinned. "Aggron, show them your power!" It's Poke Ball yawned open, as my powerful Aggron appeared on one of the podiums.

"Bad move, Jonathyn!" Sandra smirked at me. "Your Aggron is limited to the pontoons, whereas Kingdra can easily swim anywhere it likes in water. Not to mention that it has a weakness to water, which my Kingdra specialises being a Water Dragon Pokemon."

"Damn…" I scowled to myself. "The only moves that would do severe damage to it are Dragon moves. Not even Quagsire's Ice Beam would be as useful as it would be against her other Dragons." Aggron and Sandra's Kingdra stared each other down, as the official waved his flags to signal the beginning of the match.

"Kingdra, go beneath the water and use Dragon Dance!" Sandra called. In a fluid movement, the Kingdra sank beneath the surface and seemed to perform some sort of dance, as the name of the move would suggest. Purple electrical charges seemed to scatter across the water as it's dance neared completion.

"Aggron, Shockwave!" I instructed. Aggron scattered some sparks of its own across the water, striking where Kingdra was bobbing in the water. It emerged, apparently unharmed at all.

"It might be a Water type," Sandra began with a smile, "but Kingdra's Dragon status prevents electrical attacks from doing much damage. Nice try, kid! Kingdra, another Dragon Dance." Still beneath the surface of the water, more purple electrical charges shot across the surface of the water. Although they were no threat to Aggron, I wondered just what she was up to.

"If it's just going to keep on dancing, it'll never win the battle. Aggron, use Shockwave again!"

"Another Shockwave?" Sandra shook her head smugly. "Is that the best move you have?" The electric current struck the aquatic dragon once again but did little damage to it. "Alright then, Kingdra. From beneath the water, use Water Pulse." I could hardly see where about in the water the Kingdra was, but then saw a sudden ripple of water powering towards the pontoon where Aggron was. The ripple shot out of the water and slammed into Aggron's torso, doing incredible damage and even knocking the giant creature onto its back. It looked as thought it was in great pain.

"The power…" I gasped, as Aggron winced and groaned as it got back up to its feet. "…it's amazing."

"Hee hee," Sandra gleefully giggled. "Kingdra's Dragon Dance dramatically increases both its' attack power and its speed! At full power, it can knock out almost anything in just a couple of hits."

"Aggron can't win this using Shockwave alone…" I sighed to myself. "It's Steel Type moves won't do much either. Sorry, Aggron. Return." I withdrew Aggron from the battle. "I know you must feel annoyed about not battling," I spoke to the ball. "But you will battle again soon, I promise." I placed Aggron ball to one side, bringing out Quagsire's to replace it.

"A poor choice from the start," Sandra sternly said to me. "You've hardly done any damage at all to my Kingdra, yet I have been able to boost its attack and speed already. And switching Pokemon only allows me more time to increase it even more. Dragon Dance now!" I had not even brought Quagsire onto the battlefield, yet the Kingdra had already begun to use the move.

"Quick, Quagsire! Come on out and use Yawn underwater!" I called, throwing the ball forward. Quagsire landed straight into the water with the same gaping smile. It began to swim towards the Kingdra, blowing a bubble beneath the waves. It bobbed slowly towards the dragon, not floating upwards as I thought it might do."

"Dragon Pulse!" Sandra shouted. A dark green and purple coloured blast surged through the water, bursting the bubble created by Quagsire's Yawn.

"Dodge it!" I shouted quickly. Quagsire managed to avoid the move, which created a small explosion at the side of the pool upon impact. It was the same move that I had seen Cynthia's Lucario use in her previous battle against Darkhan… I suddenly remembered what Sandra and I had spoken about before the battle. She knew something that I didn't about the mysterious swordsman. I had to find out what it was. She had refused to tell me before, but if I win the battle then she would finally spill the beans. "Sandra, you may have powerful Dragon Pokemon, but my desire to win this battle surpasses that. Once I win, you will tell me the truth!"

**TO BE CONTINUED!**

_**Next Time:** The battle continues to rage on. Now down to two Pokemon each, can Jonathyn defeat Sandra once and for all? This explosive battle concludes in the next chapter!_

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	28. Chapter 28

_**DISCLAIMER:** I do not own Pokemon, but I do own several on my copy of Pokemon Pearl... although not in an illegal kind of way._

_**MESSAGE TO READERS:** This chapter was seriously difficult to write, especially the final few parts of the battle. But first, I thought I would answer a couple of the questions that certain people have asked in their reviews. Firstly, I decided to put Cynthia in the mix as she provides a sense of frightening power, yet she is NOT unbeatable, hence the fact that James managed to defeat her Lucario. I'm not trying to make her look weak, not at all. But like I said, she isn't unbeatable._

_Secondly, Quaystor's question regarding Team Rocket's disguises… the answer, yes! Have you noticed in the anime, particularly the earlier series that the Rocket's disguises get more and more surreal, yet they still don't get suspected. Meowth's costumes have become more popular and recent lately as well, so I thought I'd try it too._

_Now regarding Ash's Turtwig and Chimchar… don't worry, they will be making appearances in later chapters. Don't forget that Ash is in the tournament too and his array of Pokemon is a lot different. You'll also notice that some of the other characters have Pokemon they didn't have before too. (eg. Misty now has Marshtomp, Ash has Staraptor (rather than Staravia) and Paul has a Shiny Metagross)._

_And finally, the Charizard that James used against Cynthia belonged to Darkhan. Darkhan joined forces with Team Rocket apparently to get revenge on Jonathyn for not only thwarting his plan to capture Azelf, but also for defeating him in the third round._

_If you have any more questions, don't hesitate to ask and I'll answer them from now on at the beginning of each chapter in these small messages. So until then, go grab a lemonade or something, kick back and enjoy!_

* * *

**THE LEAGUE OF CHAMPIONS**

**CHAPTER 28: CLIMACTIC FIGHT! THE LOSING EDGE!**

I was beginning to get exhausted from the pace of this battle. It seemed to have been going on for hours and we still had two Pokemon left with to battle. The crowd's energy seemed to be infinite. Despite the battle going on for this length of time, they were still willing and able to cheer on. The entertainment they were experiencing from this sole battle could well have been the best they have seen so far. Not being modest, but it made me feel good inside. It made me want to battle even harder, despite the tiredness that I was now starting to feel. My mind felt a little muddled. I didn't know how to attack next. This Kingdra of Sandra's… it had the ability to raise its speed and attack power in one go and then send ferocious attacks at its opponents. I had already withdrawn Aggron after just two attacks. Now my hopes lay with my Quagsire, which had already eliminated Sandra's Flygon and held its own against her Dragonair. The best thing about Quagsire, however, was the ability to heal itself whilst it was submerged in the water. That meant that Kingdra's Water Pulse was rendered useless. All these things played over in my mind for a matter of seconds, before I knew that I had to make the next move. Yawn had failed once, so I decided to approach it from a different angle.

"Quagsire, Focus Punch!" I called. The problem that Aggron had when it battled Kingdra was that it was limited to where it could go. It was unable to use physical attacks like Iron Head, whereas Quagsire had the freedom to move in the water and still attack at great speed and power. Quagsire darted forward like a torpedo, clenching a fisted fin and swinging a punch at the Kingdra, but it quickly swam to one side, evading the attack. It's speed really had excelled as well, due to it's Dragon Dances.

"Kingdra, Dragon Pulse again!" Sandra ordered. Quagsire had already managed to evade this attack once, but at such close range the attack wouldn't miss. Quagsire was struck hard by the Dragon move, yet it still did not appear to be greatly damaged.

"You alright, Quagsire?" I called to it from above the water. How it heard me, I did not know. But it appeared to bob its head under the water. "Good, then let's go for another Focus Punch." Quagsire swung back, this time the attack hit its mark, crunching against the side of the Kingdra's body. It did not get forced away by the attack, which I thought it would do. "Quickly come out of the water!" I called to it, expecting Sandra to order her Pokemon to use another close range attack.

"Dragon Dance!" she called as Quagsire leapt out of the water onto one of the pontoons. Yet again, the Kingdra began to boost the power of its attacks and its speed level by performing the strange ritual.

"Focus Punch again from above!" I shouted, hoping that I could at least interrupt the stat-increasing move. Quagsire focused even more energy than it had done before and leapt into the water, swinging the Focus Punch at the Kingdra. As it faded into the clouds of electricity in the water, I could not tell whether or not the move had landed. I found out as the ground beneath me shook. Quagsire quickly leapt out of the water again, as I could see the Kingdra was now right at the bottom of the pool. The move had obviously hit it's mark, but this battle was certainly not over yet. The Kingdra surfaced for the first time in a while, trying to shake the cobwebs from the two consecutive Focus Punches.

"Kingdra, use Flash Cannon," Sandra said with an irritated snarl. Kingdra aimed its snout towards Quagsire, before a silver formation began to form inside it. It suddenly blasted a comet of light energy towards Quagsire. The move was so fast, that Quagsire did not even see it coming. It fell backwards into the water, but it's smile grew wider as it began to wriggle it's body around. The Water Absorb ability was proving to be a real life saver at the moment. "That darned Quagsire," Sandra scowled. "A true trump card, indeed. But Flash Cannon sometimes lowers a Pokemon's special defense. And with Kingdra's boosted attack, it's only a matter of time before it falls."

"That may be," I grinned. "But as soon as Quagsire moves out of the way, you have Kingdra use that Dragon Dance. And that is when it is totally unable to avoid Quagsire's attacks." Everything seemed to stop at that point, as Sandra absorbed in what I had said. Neither of us wanted to make a move. Kingdra and Quagsire now seemed to look both as blankly as each other. "Take your time, Sandra," I taunted her slightly. "I've got all the time in the world." Sandra began to think a little.

"Water Pulse!" Sandra seemed to question herself as she called for the attack. I immediately began to let out a grin, just as the Dragon Breeder realised her mistake. "Wait, stop!" she desperately called, but Kingdra had already launched the attack. The pulse of water rippled towards Quagsire.

"Let it hit you, you can absorb the power from the Water Pulse!" I called to it. Sandra buried her head into her hands, apparently disbelieving the foolish error she had made. The water engulfed Quagsire, it's skin glimmered once it had fully dispersed. "Now use Body Slam!" I called to it. Quagsire, still airborne from absorbing the Water Pulse managed to redirect itself towards the Kingdra.

"Submerge under the water!" Sandra cried out to her Dragon Pokemon. It quickly lowered itself beneath the waves, Quagsire's Body Slam turning into what looked like a painful belly flop. The sound of it's thick body impacting the water made most of the crowd cringe, yet some of them actually laughed. Even I let out a small chuckle, but at the same time was concerned in case Quagsire had hurt itself. "Now use Dragon Pulse." Another shot of dark green and purple energy was fired directly at Quagsire, knocking it out of the water and back onto the podium where it was before. This time, Quagsire looked as though it had taken a lot of damage from the move. "I thought I'd give you a chance, but I think I'd best wrap this up now," Sandra tried to cover up her error. "Dragon Dance, quickly!" Kingdra sank even further to the bottom of the pool, before performing the strange dance once again. I thought to myself that it was a shame that Quagsire could not use it's Ice Beam as effectively as it could do against the other dragons… then I suddenly had a thought!

"Quagsire, use Ice Beam on the water!" I shouted. Quagsire quickly fired the freezing cold beam towards the surface of the water, immediately solidifying the surface. Sandra gasped when she noticed what I was doing.

"Kingdra, come up quickly!" Sandra shouted, but Kingdra seemed to be so far down and concentrating so hard on completing the Dragon Dance that her instruction did not get through.

"Full Power!" I shouted. The Ice Beam suddenly became a lot larger as Quagsire focused as much power as possible into the attack. The Kingdra seemed to notice what was happening and desperately tried to reach the surface before the whole pool was frozen. It began to swim upwards, but it was no use. Just a couple of feet from the surface, it grinded to a halt. The whole pool was now frozen solid, with Kingdra encased in the ice. There was literally nothing that Sandra could do to help it. "Alright Quagsire, use Focus Punch, max power!" Quagsire leapt forward, with it's fin clenched into another fist. Right on the ice above Kingdra, it smashed through the ice and delivered a crushing blow to the aquatic dragon. It flew up, small shards of ice scratching against it's scales. It fell on top of the frozen pool on its side with a dazed look in its eyes.

"Kingdra has been eliminated, Quagsire wins!" the official declared, signalling to the crowd that Sandra's third Dragon Pokemon was now eliminated. Quagsire once again had its wide gaping smile across its face. My expression was incredibly similar.

"There's no way you can win, Sandra!" I smiled. "All you have left is your Dragonair. And I think we've already established that it can't do a thing to my Quagsire."

"Don't count on it," Sandra retorted, yet I could tell by the tone of her voice that she herself was unsure of this. She had already called back her Kingdra, before throwing another Poke Ball in its place. "Dragonair, let's go!" she shouted. The serpentine creature appeared once again, staring at Quagsire. "Use Thunderbolt!" she ordered. The Dragonair's gem beneath its chin glowed a yellow colour, before a bolt of electricity struck Quagsire, but it had hardly any effect at all. Sparks scattered across it's body, but not in a damaging way. She whimpered a little, her mind apparently blank. "Aqua Tail!" she shouted, as the Dragonair swiftly slithered in mid air towards Quagsire, slapping its tail across the face. Water droplets splashed across its face, but once again Quagsire did not look at all phased. In fact, the Water Type attack had healed it even further. Sandra let out another whine, before hanging her head. What looked like a tear drop fell from her face to the ice below.

"Sandra, focus!" I shouted to her. She suddenly lifted her head up. "Listen, you're a great trainer, one of the most talented I've faced in a long time," I tried to comfort her in her distress. "You know full well that electric attacks don't do a thing to Quagsire, which is a part Ground type. And you also knew that Quagsire has the ability to absorb Water type attacks, yet you still had your Kingdra use Water Pulse and your Dragonair use Aqua Tail."

"You're right though," she sighed, weeping slightly. "There's no way that my Dragonair can defeat it…"

"Get a hold of yourself, Sandra!" I frowned at her. "You're an exceptional trainer. You just need to focus on just what you can do to win. If your attacks don't work, try something else." Sandra seemed to stare at me a little. She wiped some tears from her eyes, before nodding to me.

"Dragonair," she sniffed sadly, "Use Flamethrower." Dragonair spat out a stream of flame at my Quagsire.

"Dodge it!" I shouted. It evaded backwards as the fire scorched the surface of the ice where Quagsire was stood. What was left was a small hole, some water could be seen right underneath it. Sandra noticed this and smiled a little.

"Dragonair, use Flamethrower on the ice just in front of you!" her frown now a smile. Another blaze of fire struck the surface of the ice, creating a small pool of water that seemed to just go downwards. "Go into the hole!" Sandra grinned.

"She's thinking a lot harder now," I smiled, relieved that even thought she was my rival, she had found that fighting spirit once again. "Quagsire, just stay still for a moment." The Quagsire looked on vaguely, awaiting for something to happen.

"Hyper Beam!" Sandra called, the fire returning to the battle. I felt the ground move as a beam of energy blasted through the ice, knocking Quagsire high into the air. It crashed down with a mighty thud. I was shocked that this had actually happened. The Hyper Beam had somehow blasted right through the thick ice and scored a direct hit on Quagsire. "Good job, Dragonair!" The dragon, happy with it's trainer nodded appreciatively of the compliment.

"Much better," I too congratulated the Dragon Trainer for her efforts. "But Dragonair will be too worn out from that Hyper Beam to avoid this attack. Ice Beam down that hole that Dragonair's attack made!" I grinned. Quagsire smiled too, before sending another one of its powerful Ice Beams down the crevasse that the Hyper Beam had created.

"Dragonair, use Flamethrower!" she called. I could then see a burst of flame heading up towards the Ice Beam. Both attacks met, but the Flamethrower immediately negated the Ice Type attack and erupted from beneath the frozen pool into Quagsire's face. It stumbled backwards as the attack hit. The crowd began cheering for Sandra, as her Dragonair re-emerged from the hole that it had originally created. I noticed that Quagsire's skin had been scorched. I even noticed a small flame flicker from the scald. My eyes widened when I noticed what had happened. Sandra simply smiled, happy that something had gone her way.

"Quagsire's been burnt!" I gasped. "I've got to end this quickly, otherwise Quagsire won't last much longer. Use Ice Beam one more time!" Quagsire fired another beam forward.

"Flamethrower!" Sandra shouted in response. The Dragonair quickly used the fiery move, once again negating the super effective move. Quagsire held it's face where it had been scalded, the burn now causing it some grief. The longer the burn lasted, the more damage it would inflict on my already tired Quagsire. "Now Hyper Beam!" Sandra called. Dragonair launched another immense streak of energy towards Quagsire, who was distracted by the pain it's burn was causing.

"Watch out!" I called, Quagsire quickly looked up to see where the danger was coming from, but the powerful attack slammed into it with brutal lethality. Quagsire skidded back on the slippery ice, before crashing to a stop at the foot of the platform on which I was stood. I let out yet another exasperated gasp, as Quagsire lay motionless on the floor, yet it still had that same smile on it's face. I knew by the look in its eyes that it was completely knocked out.

"Quagsire can no longer battle," the official affirmed. "Dragonair wins." I withdrew Quagsire back into its ball. "Hey, you were absolutely fantastic," I bowed to the ball. "You've done a great job. Now take a good rest." I grabbed a hold of the final Poke Ball that contained the fourth Pokemon I had. Although it had already taken some damage from her Kingdra, it would now be a better time to battle. The Water Field was still mostly frozen, with the exception of two large holes from which the Dragonair had launched its attacks. So now, it would be able to utilise all of its power.

"You see, Sandra?" I grinned, happy that I was getting such a good battle. "You thought that you couldn't defeat Quagsire, but you have. Even though your attacks did not do much damage to it directly, you managed to suffice with using them differently, such as your Flamethrower to melt the ice and the Hyper Beam to strike from below. But as glad as I am that you have regained your fighting prowess, I cannot afford to lose this battle. Aggron, you're on!" The giant metallic lizard appeared on one of the podiums, which was frozen at a slightly tilted angle, yet Aggron still stood on it with no sign of slipping. I knew that Dragonair would need time to recharge from using a second Hyper Beam, so now would be a good time to use a powerful attack. "Use Iron Head!" Using the ice to gain extra speed, it hurtled towards Dragonair, smashing it's hard skull into the limbless dragon. It skidded back, but managed to get back up. "Follow it up with a Shockwave!" Just as it had done against Kingdra, Aggron discharged sparks of electric power straight at the Dragonair. The unavoidable attack struck the Dragonair, but did not cause much damage to it.

"Use Aqua Tail!" Sandra shouted, knowing that the move would no longer heal my Pokemon. The Dragonair slithered towards Aggron, somehow doing so through mid air, something that perplexed me. It whipped its tail over it's body, smacking it into Aggron's side with a blue glow. Aggron roared as the move hit.

"Iron Head again!" I shouted. Aggron glared at the Dragonair, who was still following through with the attack. With a thrust of its head, it headbutted Dragonair with such force that it smashed it back into the ice. A small cloud of icy dust billowed from where the Dragonair had impact the frozen Water Field.

"Dragonair, use Hyper Beam!" Sandra called. With Aggron still stood over it, it began to charge the powerful attack from below it.

"Protect now!" I desperately called. Aggron focused a little, it's skin beginning to cover itself with a safeguarding layer of light. Dragonair fired the attack at point blank range. What resulted was a huge explosion, rocking the whole stadium. They crowd gasped in awe, as a billowing black cloud filled the battlefield. I only hoped that Aggron had fully protected itself from the blast. Once the cloud dispersed, I could see that both Pokemon were indeed still alright, although both looked as though they had taken some damage as a result of the explosion. Dragonair looked exhausted from the attack, which led me to wonder with move would be best to use. "Aggron, use Iron Head!" I instructed. As Dragonair lay vulnerably on the icy surface, Aggron pulled its head back before slamming it downwards and striking the opponent with another massive blow. How much more punishment could these two Pokemon withstand? The Dragonair, despite taking the full brunt of the attack managed to disappear from sight. Where had it gone? I looked all around to see where it might have vanished to. Then I realised just where Aggron was stood. Aggron was now right by one of the holes Dragonair had made during the earlier battle with Quagsire. "Aggron, get away from the hole!" I shouted, expecting the worst.

"Aqua Tail!" Sandra shouted. Aggron took some paces backwards, but from beneath the ice, a burst of water splashed against Aggron side once more, before the tail of Dragonair shot up through the hole and impacted the same spot. Aggron once again roared out in pain, the super effective move causing great damage. It looked like a critical hit. This wasn't a good sign, but there was only one thing that I could do that could truly end this battle for good!

"Metal Burst!" I shouted. I knew that the damage done to Aggron was more severe than what one would think. The Metal Burst attack struck the Dragonair with dominating force. I thought for sure that it had defeated it, but I was only slightly surprised to see that the Dragon had managed to withstand the attack. Sandra's dragons had so far been extremely resourceful and I now understood the capabilities that the Dragon Breeder's Pokemon had.

"Dragonair, use Hyper Beam with everything you've got!" Sandra called. Even though I knew that the attack wasn't that effective against a Pokemon like Aggron, it could still be powerful to knock it out, as it had already taken significant damage. The beam was fired at such a velocity that not even Aggron knew what had hit it. Aggron slowly got up to its feet having been knocked down by the Hyper Beam. But once again Dragonair was wiped out, it's energy levels drained by using such effort to launch the powerful attack.

"OK, Aggron. We can do this!" I encouraged it, hoping that now we could finally end this tiresome battle. "Use the biggest Metal Burst you can!" Aggron began to charge the powerful attack and unleashed it as strongly as it could. The Dragonair was sent hurtling back into Sandra's platform. She gasped with shock as the Dragon's skull smashed against the metal platform. Knowing that it was still recovering, I could not let up. "Iron Head with everything you've got left!" Aggron charged forward, lowering its head and crushing the dragon against Sandra's podium. She seemed to lose her balance, but managed to somehow stay upright… but this was a completely different story for the Dragonair. It slumped down to the ground.

"Dragonair is not able to continue. That means that the winner of this Fourth Round Battle goes to Jonathyn and his Aggron!" the official finally decreed that the match was over. The crowd went absolutely wild, cheering and celebrating my victory. I let out the longest sigh of relief of my entire life, I think. Aggron had fallen onto its knees in exhaustion, shuffling away as Sandra went over to ensure her Dragonair was not seriously hurt from the two deadly Steel Type attacks. I climbed down from my podium and made my way across the ice. I gave my Aggron a pat on the back as I passed it, also concerned for Sandra's Dragonair.

"I'm sorry," I said softly, looking at the Dragonair's limp body.

"It's fine," Sandra said with a faint smile. "Dragonair just needs a good rest at the Pokemon Center." Her dragon gave a small whine in response, before being called back into the comfort of its Poke Ball.

"Good job, Aggron. You deserve a good rest too!" I grinned, withdrawing the goliath back into the ball. As the red light faded back into the ball, I glanced over to Sandra, who was still a little upset. I placed my hand comfortingly on her shoulder. She took hold of it, which made me jolt a little. She turned around and burst into tears, burying her head into my shoulder. I comfortingly patted her on the back. "Don't worry," I tried my best to comfort her further. To be honest, I did not really know what to say. She eventually released me, wiping tears from her eyes. "Come on, let's go inside," I smiled caringly to her. She walked at my side, hooking her arm around mine. The crowd applauded as we both left the arena together, although what terrified me the most would be Misty's reaction. I knew that she would be watching…

**TO BE CONTINUED!**

_**NEXT TIME:** Sandra finally tells Jonathyn what she knows about Darkhan as well as some other secrets that she has, which will completely blow Jonathyn's mind! What does she have to tell? And how does it involve Misty? You won't want to miss the next heart-pounding chapter!_


	29. Chapter 29

_**Disclaimer:** I actually DO own Pokemon… but I am lying when I say that… in other words, I do not own Pokemon._

**THE LEAGUE OF CHAMPIONS**

**CHAPTER 29: THE TRUTH BEHIND THE DARKNESS! ARRIVAL OF ANABEL!**

She was still distraught even when we were out of sight of the excited crowd. My shirt had been stained by her tears mixing with her eye shadow. She could not seem to control her emotions. I could not help but wonder exactly why she was so upset. Hopefully, she was not too worked up about the fact that she lost. The last time someone was angered from defeat, they almost sliced my head off with a sword. This made me remember what I was about to discover… she was keeping something from me and finally, after hours of mental torture I would be told the truth. We had both returned to the now empty Trainer Lounge. Sandra had slumped into a sofa that had been placed far away from any entrance or exit, which was quite convenient for us. I sat by her side, awaiting the answers that I had been seeking.

"I'm really sorry," she sniffed, wiping more tears from her eyes. "I don't know what came over me."

"You don't have to explain your feelings, Sandra," I sighed. "It was a fantastic battle and you should be proud have got so far."

"It's not about losing the battle," she whimpered, blowing her nose into a handkerchief that I had passed her from somewhere. "It's the fact that now I have to tell you all of this stuff… and I just can't do it."

"We had a deal, didn't we?" I said firmly. I refused to be denied just because she did not want to tell me. "You were who agreed to the bet. If I lost, I sure as hell wouldn't back out of the consequences."

"You don't understand," she mumbled quietly to me. "If I tell you, it could…" she suddenly fell completely silent. She slumped against me, before shuddering as if fearfully. I was unsure of what action to take, other than comfortingly place my arm around her and squeeze her a little. I saw a small smile appear on her face, which in turn made me smile. She was still shaking though.

"Why can't you tell me?" I asked quietly, yet seemingly desperate to get a response from her. She looked up at me, before sitting up and shuffling to the other side of the sofa. She withdrew a Poke Ball from her pocket… one that was somewhat different to any that I had seen before. Rather than the usual red top and white underside, this ball was pink and white, with two small lumps sticking from each side of the top. I tried to think of what significance this strange Poke Ball might have.

"This Poke Ball has a special ability," Sandra said at the volume of a whisper. "It can capture any Pokemon without fail, hence they call it a Master Ball."

"A Master Ball?" I repeated, looking rather bemused. "What's that got to do with anything?"

"Have you never noticed?" Sandra faced me with a small frown. "All the Pokemon that… he… has in his possession are all in this kind of ball?"

"He who?" I asked with deteriorative grammar. "You mean Darkhan?" Sandra looked around, as if scouting for witnesses. Since there weren't any, she replied with a very small nod. "So Darkhan's Pokemon are all in these Master Balls that can catch Pokemon without fail, what's the big deal?"

"He claims to be a Pokemon Collector," Sandra frowned, standing up and walking towards the door, closing it to prevent intrusion. She walked back over to me, still holding the ball in her hand. "He is much more than that," she sighed. "Darkhan and I go a long way back. During my childhood, I used to move all around the world. My father worked for a company based here in Kanto called Silph Co. You may have heard of it."

"Yes, I've heard of the name," I replied positively.

"Back then, Darkhan was 'normal'," Sandra continued. "He worked alongside my father as his assistant. He was deeply involved in the workings of Poke Balls and finding ways to improve them. My father was the man who struck technological gold when he created the first prototype of the Master Ball."

"He must be minted!" I gasped… but then began to think of where this story might be leading. "Hold on, if Darkhan worked for your father and he created the first Master Ball…"

"You may not want to hear the rest of this story, Jonathyn," Sandra's voice suddenly turned a lot more saddening.

"I really do," I replied, a little unsurely to say the least. "What happened?" Sandra fell completely silent for a moment.

"It wasn't easy for Darkhan to become my father's assistant," Sandra sighed, sitting back down next to me. "I met him years and years ago, but it seems like only days have gone past. We formed a relationship together."

"You and Darkhan!?" I suddenly blurted out in shock, but quickly leaned back into the sofa as Sandra shot me a dagger-like stare. "But… I don't understand. Why would he form a relationship when he was working for your dad?"

"He took advantage of my father's kindness," she whimpered. "Knowing that he was looking after me, he took him under his wing without any question. He stayed with me for as long as it would take for him to get what he wanted."

"The Master Ball?" I questioned. Sandra nodded, another tear drop falling to the floor.

"My father sent him out on an excursion to test the Master Ball," Sandra continued to tell her story. "He said to me that we should go to Seafoam Islands, which is believed to be one of the only remaining breeding grounds of the legendary Pokemon, Articuno." I did not respond at all, being so engrossed by the chain of events that was being revealed to me. "We searched for over three weeks, before we finally found a strange nest. It was like nothing I had ever seen before. It seemed to have been made entirely of ice, as if sculpted by hand. Inside the nest, the most incredible sight… an Articuno egg, approaching their time to hatch. It was at that point that the true Articuno appeared, attacking Darkhan and I. Darkhan simply threw the Master Ball and captured it immediately… I'll never forget what happened after that…"

"What?" I asked, awaiting the next part with great anticipation. At this point, another tear dropped from her face.

"He… assaulted me," she shuddered, weeping further. "He left with the Articuno, leaving me and the chick to die." She fell silent, trying to hold back the emotional tears. "To this day, I don't know how I managed to get out. The last thing I remember was waking up at the Pokemon Center on Cinnibar Island. Someone must have rescued me, but to this day I don't know who."

"So then what happened?" I urged her to carry on telling me about her past.

"I returned to Saffron City, where the Silph Co. is primarily based. When I returned, I found that the whole place was in ruin from the inside. The Master Ball designs and prototypes had all gone missing… and my father… he'd been…" she stopped at that point, bursting into tears once again. It was obvious what had happened. I clenched my fist, almost disbelieving her story but it was real enough to make me feel an emotion that I had not felt in a long time. Pure rage. Somehow, I maintained my relaxed composure, yet my blood was beginning to boil. My face had turned red and felt hotter than a Ponyta's mane.

"I can't believe that…" I muttered. "So how do I tie in with this?"

"When I realised he was here, I began to plot my revenge. To avenge my father, I would have to make sure that Darkhan suffers the ultimate penalty."

"That wouldn't make you any better than he is," I sneered back to her. "Why haven't you told the police about this?"

"Because the Darkhan that you have seen is not the same man that I once loved," Sandra replied, almost in a snappy manner. "He was once a man who enjoyed life. He even talked full sentences. Darkhan is not even his real name!"

"Then what is it?" I asked. Before Sandra could open, the door opened. Misty and Brock entered the room, both with congratulating smiles on their faces. I gave them a quick look before standing up. Sandra rapidly wiped her tears away, but keeping her face away from their view.

"Jonathyn," Misty smiled, running up towards me. I placed a hand out in front of her, stopping her in her tracks. I twitched my head in the direction of Sandra, who was still looking away. "What's with her?" Misty asked, tilting her head.

"We're having a bit of a private conversation, Misty?" I said to her.

"Really?" Misty said, giving Sandra an almost jealous look. "Well, I won't bother you then. Just come to the Grass Field when you're done. We're going to watch Ash battle. But also, that… other girl is there." For some reason, she said that whilst glaring still at Sandra. Sandra in turn said nothing, not even recognising Misty at all. "Well?" Misty nudged me, getting frustrated with me.

"Well what?" I shrugged.

"Oh, you're hopeless," she scowled. "Are you going to join us or not?"

"That depends on whether you've changed your attitude by then or not!" I snapped back. "Sandra's a little bit upset and I'm trying to comfort her a bit. Is that a problem?" Misty said nothing for a moment, simply glaring at me.

"You'd better not be long," she huffed, walking out of the room. Brock shrugged to me and followed her through the exit.

"Just go with her," Sandra sighed, standing up. "I'll be alright."

"You sure?" I asked, turning back to her.

"Yeah. I'd better go and heal my Pokemon," she nodded to me.

"And then what are you going to do?" I added. Sandra shrugged in response, unsure what to do. "You want to come and watch Ash's battle with me."

"I think I'll pass," Sandra replied. "I've got some things to think about." With that, Sandra walked over to me and bowed gracefully. "I'm going to go to that lake later on. If you want to come along, just turn up," she smiled at me, her sadness seemed to have completely faded. She brushed past me, her eyes still trying to keep me in view even as she went past. She momentarily stopped at the door, returning another glance to me before slinking out of the door. I let out a long sigh. There was something about Sandra that I made me feel rather uneasy. Whether or not it was to do with her previous experiences with a person who had attempted to kill me, I could not be sure. But at the same time, there was a presence of excitement around her. Even when she was sad, it was almost as though I was doing something wrong, like a naughty child stealing an apple from an orchard. Quickly, I snapped myself back to reality. Now I had to decide what to do. I knew that I would have to heal Pelipper, Gabite, Quagsire and Aggron at the Pokemon Center. I also knew that I would have to find out who my next opponent would be in what would now be the Fifth Round…

Fifth Round!? Already!?

I suddenly realised what this meant for me. I was now to battle one of fifteen other trainers who had proven themselves thus far to be the best in the entire Kanto region. And I was there with them. Sixteen is quite a small number, considering how many trainers there are in Kanto. There must be thousands. I could not remember the figure that Rufus Goodshow had told me before, but the statistics still staggered me. I am now one of the most powerful in the region. All I would have to do is keep on going until I became number one. But there would still be fifteen other trainers who also wanted that position. This would be something that I would not tolerate. But rather than focus on that, I had to decide what to do next. Misty was expecting me to appear for Ash's battle, which to be honest I did not really care too much for. I had seen enough battles in the last couple of days than I could handle. You might be surprised at the mental strain one gains from battling consistently. You always have to think fast and effectively and it really does drain your energy. Some say that Pokemon are just tools for entertainment and that their trainers do not really care for them…

What utter nonsense that is…

Like I said, a trainer must think fast. Sure, everyone is focused on winning, but not without concern for their Pokemon. Every trainer must create a foundation with their partners and bond with them. It is not just the Pokemon that work hard. In fact I would say that a trainer and their Pokemon work as hard as each other. If the trainer is poor, then so will their Pokemon be. But I mustn't be flippant.

I had to decide what to do. Misty would be angry with me if I didn't join her, but she would be angry as well if I did. That's women for you. But still, I thought it would be a good idea to at least stay in her good books by joining her. I could then heal my Pokemon once Ash's battle was over and then I could go and see Sandra again. There were still some things that I needed to know from her, so I would not be put off by Misty's temperament from going. I flung my backpack over my shoulders and left the Trainer Lounge the same way that Sandra had done. The corridor was eerily empty, yet I could hear cheers echoing through the walls. I tried to remember which way the Grass Field was, seemingly forgetting that I had my first Pokemon League Battle on the same field. After carefully viewing some conveniently placed signs, I managed to ascend a small staircase which took me right into the bowels of the stands. Everyone was cheering, some on their feet. I looked out onto the field. Sure enough, Ash was battling. I looked up at the big screen first to see how the match was going so far. Ash had lost just one Pokemon, the image of an elephant-like creature that I recognised as a Donphan had been faded out, signalling it had been defeated. His opponent's losses were a stag-beetle creature with two mandibles protruding the top of its head and a strange cat-like creature with a tail that resembled a mermaid. I wondered why his opponent had chosen the Vaporeon to battle on the Grass Field, yet it's Pinsir seemed to be a more logical choice. I could hardly patronise the trainer's choices, since I had made some choices that did not seem logical and I had still won.

On the battlefield at this moment in time, I chose to look onto the field rather than look at the screen. Ash had chosen an orange primate-like Pokemon. I had not seen the Sinnoh-native Pokemon in real life before. It was too large to be a Chimchar, but smaller than it's fully evolved form, so I deciphered the Pokemon to be a Monferno. The opponent had chosen a strange looking Pokemon. It was like a large tree wearing a sombrero of some sort. I could tell by the bizaare appearance that it was a Ludicolo. Another interesting choice by Ash's opponent… Ludicolo is both Grass and Water type orientated, so it would have an advantage both on this battlefield and against Ash's Fire Type, Monferno. As the two Pokemon exchanged attacks, I looked around to see if I could find Misty, but it was very much like trying to find a needle in a haystack. I was sure that I had used that metaphor before, but it didn't bother me. After wandering between a few rows, I could see her trademark ginger spiky hair close to the front of the stands. There was a spare seat directly next to her. Obviously, she had reserved it just for me. But no sooner than I had approached the seat, a purple haired girl sat down in it, holding a hot dog in her hand. I stood still for a moment, before being urged out of the way by some people behind me who could not see beyond my tall stature. I reached past this purple haired girl to prod Misty on her shoulder. Misty gave me a small glare, before smiling softly at me and nudging this other girl in return. I could not hear what she was saying to her over the crowd, but hopefully it would be to get the hell out of my seat. My legs were still aching from where I had been standing up near enough all morning. The girl quickly stood up, offering her hand.

"Nice to meet you, Jonathyn," the purple haired girl said politely. "Misty and Ash have told me about you."

"Uhh… you too," I said, not knowing who this girl was. Nonetheless, I shook her hand. "Who are you, sorry?"

"Oh, I'm Anabel," she smiled. "I'm Ash's girlfriend."

"Ah, I've heard about you too," I nodded to her, finally able to start a proper conversation. "You're a Battle Frontier Brain, right?"

"That's right," she nodded. "I'm the Salon Maiden of the Battle Frontier."

"Will you get out of the way!?" one of the crowd members behind us shouted, getting frustrated by my obstruction. I apologised by bowing before looking at the seat.

"You go ahead," Anabel gestured for me to sit down.

"No, no. You were there first," I replied. I could tell that there were more fans behind us also getting rather annoyed. I then saw Misty stand up slightly, pointing at her seat. I shuffled between Anabel's seat to Misty's, before sitting on it. Anabel placed herself in the vacant chair next to me, as Misty then sat on my lap. I didn't mind this so much. I noticed that Brock was chatting up a young lady sat next to him as well. The question that entered my mind was how long it was going to be before his Croagunk appeared to Poison Jab it in the stomach again.

"So what was all that about back there?" Misty whispered sternly to me, here eyes fixated on the match.

"What do you mean?" I asked. "There was nothing going on."

"I'm not stupid, Jon," she replied, still with the same tone. "And you say that as thought you've got something to hide."

"I'm not hiding anything," I scowled a little. "Sandra was telling me about her past experiences with Darkhan. And if you were in her position, you would want to be comforted too, I'm sure." Misty fell silent for just a couple of moments.

"Sorry," she said softly. I stroked her leg as a sign of affection. Anabel seemed to have closed her eyes, but had a complacent smile on her face. I could not help by raise an eyebrow at her expression. It was a little bit spooky, yet not malicious. She opened her eyes… the crowd suddenly roared. I tried to see past Misty's shoulder. All I could see was the Ludicolo laying flat on its back. Smoke was still smouldering on its charred skin. It was quickly returned. It was quite strange how the two events happened right after one another.

"Psychic power," Anabel smirked monotonously, as if reading my mind… then it struck me.

"What!? You're a Psychic?" I exclaimed, completely stunned.

"Yes. I have had the ability since I was very young," Anabel replied. "I could tell that the Ludicolo was about to use Hydro Pump, so I let Ash know. And he countered it very effectively."

"Isn't that a form of cheating?" I asked.

"Heavens no," Anabel chuckled. "You are allowed help from the outside providing it doesn't interfere with the Pokemon or the opposition."

"She's right," Misty nodded, twisting her neck to try and look at me. "Brock and I used to be in Ash's corner the very first time he entered the Pokemon League."

"The only difference is that I can talk to Ash telepathically," Anabel smiled, but in no way boastfully. This did make me shudder a little. I had only heard stories about people like Anabel. But to find out that they really do exist was a bit of a bolt from the blue. I am very secluded when it comes down to other people knowing what I am thinking. But how can you do that when there is someone who can actually read your thoughts? By now, Anabel had closed her eyes again. I could tell that now she was using her telepathic powers to converse with Ash. For some reason, Ash called back his Monferno, before throwing out another Poke Ball forward at exactly the same time as his opponent. Ash's third battling Pokemon was a small, green creature. It resembled a tortoise of some sort, with two small leaves sticking out from a branch atop of its head. The Turtwig looked quite impressive for something that small, but what astounded me the most was the timing of his choice, especially when I saw what it was facing… a Pokemon with the same Water Ground combination of my Quagsire, but this creature had a much more intimidating look. The opposing trainer did not look happy that his Swampert would be battling a Pokemon that could do severe damage to it with its Grass type moves. Anabel opened her eyes again, smiling as she had done before. I tried not to think that this wasn't fair, in case she read my thoughts and took offense to it.

"I won't… don't worry," she murmured to me. I stared at her with a worried expression. Now she had read my thoughts as I feared she would. More than likely, she also knew what else I was thinking about.

"Please… don't read my mind," I requested as kindly as I could.

"Sorry… can't help myself sometimes," she chuckled. She then looked out onto the battlefield again, where Ash's Turtwig was going all out against the Swampert. It looked like a one sided battle, with Ash completely dominating his opponent, even though he had already lost his Donphan. He still had his Monferno and an unknown Pokemon left to battle. Although I knew that his Pikachu would be very much doubtful since it's electric attacks would be no good against it. I could not be bothered to guess which other Pokemon he had chosen.

"His Staraptor," Anabel answered my question quite quickly.

"Stop it!" I snapped with a slight chuckle, trying to make light of this strange situation. Anabel also laughed in response, before being interrupted by the roar of the crowd. Ash's Turtwig had just been knocked down. It seemed to be encased in a block of ice… Misty was apparently fawning over the Water Pokemon. Ice Beam was certainly a popular move… although there was snowflakes scattered around the Turtwig too.

"That Swampert's got a powerful Blizzard attack," Misty said. Ash's Turtwig was quite literally frozen solid. The Swampert began to unleash it's Blizzard once again, making the whole arena a lot colder. Ash's Turtwig was helpless, before suddenly the leaves on its head began to glow. The sun beamed down on the ice block where it had been frozen… it was using Synthesis. "I guess Turtwig isn't out of the running just yet," Misty noted. She was right. This battle was certainly not over. I let out a sigh, when something caught my attention above the arena. There seemed to be two more Pokemon high above where the action was. I could not tell what sort of Pokemon they were, but they both seemed to exchange attacks ferociously. They were so far away, that I could not even tell what they were. I thought nothing of it and focused my attention back to Ash's battle. Some other members of the crowd had also become interested in the random battle above the arena.

"What's going on up there?" Anabel muttered. "I can't tell what sort of Pokemon they are from this far away." I squinted my eyes to try and see if I could get a better clue. One of the Pokemon appeared to have wings, yet the second just looked like a floating blob. I could see no sign of wings or any other limbs for that matter. Then I saw a beam of light fire from the winged creature towards the limbless Pokemon. It almost looked like a Solarbeam.

"Surely not…" I sighed, remembering where I had seen that attack earlier today.

"Isn't that thing a Weezing?" Misty exclaimed. It made sense, since Weezing only consist of two differently sized heads.

"What about the other?" I asked. It wasn't until I saw the creature create a small twister of golden sand that my suspicions were confirmed…

**TO BE CONTINUED**

_**Next Time:** Jonathyn investigates the strange battle that has broken out nearby. And what will he discover when he finds the cause of this battle? Also, the final sixteen competitors are confirmed._

* * *


	30. Chapter 30

_Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon. And all those who say that I do must be clinically impaired._

_MESSAGE TO READERS: This chapter was really difficult to write. Damned subplots are tough, especially when I want to implement so many ideas into one chapter. So this chapter might seem as though it just jumps from one part to another, but hopefully with the amount of retyping I've done to it, it should be tolerable now. I've also got a new story planned for when "The League Of Champions" eventually ends. Yes… it WILL end. But I don't think we're even halfway through this one yet. And I've also got the next chapter of "A Smeargle's Tale" partially completed. So yes, I've been working hard. So, I'm going to go grab a lemonade or something. And so should you, then kick back and enjoy!_

* * *

**THE LEAGUE OF CHAMPIONS**

**CHAPTER 30: BATTLE OF FORMER PARTNERS! FROZEN BY ANOTHER MYTH!**

Already, I had jumped out of my seat almost dumping Misty to the floor. The girl who was sat besides me, Anabel, seemed confused by my abrupt departure and had decided to follow as well. Misty was almost reluctant to pursue me, although she did drag Brock away from the girl he was talking to by his ear. I did not feel particularly bothered about missing the conclusion of Ash's battle. I knew that he would more than likely win anyway. As I reached the entrance to the exiting stairwell, I looked over to where the two anonymous Pokemon were battling. After a moment's thought, I rushed down the stairs and arrived at the lobby. A short, impatient wait later and Anabel, Misty and Brock had joined me. However, I did not stop to explain my motives, I simply carried on running. Out of the lobby and into the windy outdoors, the skies had began to fill with thunderous clouds. The battle that had caught my attention was now obstructed by the colossal walls of the Indigo Plateau. This did not stop me, as I began to rush around the perimeter of the stadium. Although it was more luck than judgement, I picked a route that made the raging battle come into view, although it was still incredibly far away.

"Jonathyn, what are you doing?" Misty yelled at me from behind. "What's got you so worked up?"

"Darkhan… Sandra…" I panted, trying to call back to her turning my head as far as I could to see her. From the expression she wore on her face, she was not too happy about something. Perhaps it was because I mentioned Sandra. She obviously had some sort of jealousy problem with her. It did not make much difference to me. She could moan all she wanted. This was not about Sandra… this was about my biggest foe of all.

"I sense that the ones you seek are close by," Anabel called to me.

"Stop reading my mind!" I chuckled to her, but a little more forcefully than I had done the previous times before. Sure enough, the Pokemon that were engaged in battle were becoming much clearer in view. They had also dropped to a lower altitude, which was just as well. After all, the last thing I wanted was to be interrupted by an uninvited guest. After a few more moments of running, the two targets finally came into full view. And as it turned out, it was not only the two Pokemon who were fighting. The image of an airborne blade filled my eyes, as the man dressed entirely in black swung his sword at an evasive female dressed as the Pokemon that battled alongside her. "Sandra!" I called with genuine fear. Something snapped in my mind as I charged forward even faster, arming myself with a Poke Ball. "Aggron, let's take care of this!" I threw it forward as I continued to make ground. As my metallic lizard Pokemon appeared, we both let out a similar battle cry. The swordsman turned his head too late. With as much venom as I could, I tackled Darkhan to the ground. His sword flew from his hand, clattering harmlessly to the dirt below. Sandra, who's face was dripping with sweat seemed both ecstatic and relieved at our presence.

"Jon, stop!" Misty pleaded, but I was deafened by my own rage. I felt anger of such an extreme that I had never experienced before. I pinned Darkhan down, tempted to grab his throat. However, before I could I felt something sharp slash across my back. It hit me with such ferocity that I was sent flying off the sinister swordsman and landing a few feet away. I looked up to see what had hit me… the Absol stood proudly next to his owner. Darkhan sat up with a sadistic smile on his face. It was as though he was not the slightest bit intimidated by aggressiveness.

"Disaster," he smirked, as my Aggron ran to my side. I could tell that Aggron was still fairly tired after the battle against Sandra. I mentally cursed Misty for dragging me to that stupid battle when I should have healed my Pokemon. "Water Pulse!" Darkhan grinned, as his Absol unleashed a sudden burst of water almost from nowhere. The rush of water covered my Aggron, which roared out in pain. I was also hit by the attack. It was surprising just how hard the water hit me. It took the wind out of my lungs. I began to cough and splutter, trying to get my breath back.

"Jonathyn!" the voices of my friends' concern rung through my ears. I got back up to my feet, rolling my shoulders.

"Flygon, use Solarbeam!" Sandra called to her beloved Flygon, which was still battling the Weezing from above.

"Let me deal with this," Anabel growled, stepping forward. Darkhan glared at the Psychic, who suddenly stopped. She fell to the ground, clutching her head. What was going on? Anabel let out ear splitting shrieks, the agony she was in must have been real. I ran over to check on her, droplets of water still dripping off me. Some landed on Anabel. As she writhed, I noticed Darkhan's face filled by a sinister smile, he continued to glare at Anabel as if looking into her very soul. His Absol's eyes were glowing a pale light blue. It was at that point that I noticed exactly what was happening.

"Aggron, use Iron Head on Absol!" I called, hoping that it could make the Dark Pokemon lose its focus. Aggron stampeded forward, smashing its metallic skull into the bipedal creature. It skidded a fair few feet along the rough terrain. Anabel shook her head quickly to rid herself of the remaining pain that was lingering before getting back up to her feet.

"I wish I could help, but my Psychic Pokemon can't do much against a Dark Type like Absol," Anabel apologised. I said nothing, as Darkhan's Weezing suddenly fell the ground like a comet. Throughout the melee, he seemed to have neglected Sandra, who's Flygon had knocked it out of the sky. The dragon landed next to its trainer, as we all paid our attention to the swordsman.

"Too many," Darkhan sneered abruptly, calling back his Weezing into it's spherical storage unit. "Refuse," he bluntly added, picking up his sword.

"Refuse?" I frowned with a blank expression as he placed the ball back into its respective slot along the sword's shaft. "You mean you refuse to battle us?"

"Too many," he repeated. "Five… one." His eyes seemed to roll across our group. Sandra, myself, Anabel, Brock and Misty. Even though Sandra and I were the only two trainers currently using our Pokemon, Darkhan did not seem to want to continue with the battle.

"Hold on, you still owe me answers!" Sandra yelled at the blackened man. "You do not deserve to get away so easily."

"Easily?" Darkhan chuckled. "One Trainer. Not Two." I immediately stepped forward, as did Sandra. We both seemed as eager as each other to defeat the swordsman once and for all.

"I'll battle you," came a stern voice from the rear of our pack. We all turned around, as Misty and I seemed quite surprised at the speaker.

"Paul!?" I apparently gasped. "Where did you appear from?"

"Does it matter?" he bluntly replied. "Are we going to battle or not?" Darkhan let out a small chuckle, before calling his Absol back into his Poke Ball. As he placed it back into the slot, I noticed that he only had five Poke Balls out of the possible six. This did not seem to matter so much, as Darkhan reached into his pocket and withdrew the sixth. This ball was a lot different than the others in his possession. It was a sort of purple or pink colour with two very small bumps at the top of the ball. It matched the identity of the one that Sandra had shown me before this confrontation.

"Indeed," he nodded, placing the ball in the vacant slot.

"Hold on," Sandra interrupted. "This is my fight."

"You've had your chance," Paul snarled. "I'll show you how its done." He then glared over to Darkhan. "One on one sound good to you?" Darkhan replied with a simple nod.

"This is none of your business, Paul," I stepped in front of the arrogant trainer. He simply closed his eyes and stepped to one side before walking past me. "Are you deaf as well as arrogant?" I snarled, getting impatient.

"I saw your last battle with Darkhan," he sneered. "You chose two weak Pokemon to battle two of his strongest. That kind of move is the difference between winning and losing. It's called survival of the fittest."

"There's more to battling Pokemon than just the strength of your team," I snarled. "How can you even say that?"

"Hmph," he snorted. "I don't need to explain my logic to you. I have business to take care of." He took another step forward towards Darkhan, who looked about ready to battle once again. "I'll take you on with Metagross!" Paul yelled, throwing the Poke Ball forward. There was a bright light as the alternately coloured Pokemon emerged from its Poke Ball. Anabel looked at it in awe.

"A Shiny Metagross!" Anabel exclaimed. "I have a Metagross too, but that one looks just as powerful."

"Nice," Darkhan grinned, examining the shiny Psychic Steel Pokemon. "Now behold." With a mighty whoosh, he swung his heavy sword with ease. The Master Ball that Sandra had told me about shot out from the blade. What emerged from it made me gasp. A magnificent bird with blue feathers flapped its giant wings in mid air. It's tail was like a long blue streamer. It's beak was a pale shade of blue as well. As soon as it had appeared, the air became much colder. I began to shiver after a few seconds. Paul seemed to have an equally shocked look, which was surprising for someone who came across as nonchalant.

"You've got to be kidding me!" I choked in disbelief.

"That's the Articuno that he captured!" Sandra gasped. "I can't believe he still owns it! You really do disgust me, Darkhan."

"Don't care," Darkhan smirked. Even though I despised both of these trainers, this was going to be one heck of a battle. He then looked over to both myself and Sandra. "Call back," he growled whilst indicating my Aggron and Sandra's Flygon. Sandra and I both looked at each other, before reluctantly calling our Pokemon back.

"If you lost to a loser like Jonathyn, what hope do you have of beating me?" Paul taunted Darkhan. Darkhan simply chuckled in his usual manner.

"Actions louder," he muttered in response. "Blizzard." The legendary Articuno began to flap its wings faster and faster. A sudden storm of snow engulfed the entire area. It blew with such force that we all had to shield our eyes from it. With the exception of Paul, who simply closed his. The Metagross, despite taking the full brunt of the powerful Ice Type attack did not seem at all harmed.

"You're a fool," Paul grinned confidently. "Ice type attacks don't do much against a Steel type like Metagross, no matter how powerful your Articuno is. Now, Metagross. Use Meteor Mash!" The colossal Pokemon raised one of its huge legs and turning it as it would if it were an arm. It began to glow with energy, before swinging a form of punch at the Flying Ice Type.

"Evade," Darkhan ordered calmly. With another swift flap of its wings, it shot up skyward. "Mind Reader." The Articuno seemed to stare intently at the Metagross, as if detecting the tiniest of movements. Paul frowned at this.

"Metagross, use Magnet Rise then Meteor Mash!" Paul cried with a tone of desperation in his voice. The Metagross tucked its legs in and began to levitate into the air. It positioned the same front leg as before, whilst rising closer to where the Articuno was hovering. It swung a punch, connecting with the chest of the mythical bird. It began to fall towards the earth, but quickly managed to swoop back up. Paul suddenly withdrew a Poke Ball from his pocket. "Return," he said with a small scowl. I was slightly shocked by this action, as the Metagross disappeared from view.

"What was that all about, Paul?" I snarled. "You just gave up?"

"He was going to use Sheer Cold," Paul replied, attempting not to make eye contact with me. "There's no need to put Metagross through that."

"A combination of Mind Reader and Sheer Cold is completely unavoidable," Anabel explained understandingly. "Sheer Cold is a One-Hit Knockout move. Mind Reader ensures that the next attack does not miss. Do the math."

"That sucks!" I sneered. "You're a coward. That's the cheapest tactic I've ever seen." I heard a rustling come from nearby, which I quickly turned my head to see. All I saw was a small brown creature with it's tail held in its paw. Whatever Pokemon it was, it had ran away now. I shrugged to myself before turning back to Paul and Darkhan. "Why don't you just get lost, Darkhan?" I scowled angrily. "The only reason you are here is to cause others grief. You're pathetic in my eyes."

"Pathetic?" Darkhan snarled back. "Interesting." His Articuno landed right next to him as he shot me a venomous look, similar to when he tried to attack me during Cynthia's battle. "Ice Beam," he muttered slyly. A ball of pale light appeared in the legendary Pokemon's beak, before a beam of ice shot forward, striking me. It was so cold that my whole body went numb instantly. It felt as though time had stopped. All I could see were distorted images of the Articuno and Darkhan in front of me. A layer of blue had covered me. I was literally frozen. No matter how hard I tried to move, nothing happened. All my senses seemed to stop functioning. My mouth was dry. The images in front of me turned into a blur. I still could not feel a thing anywhere throughout my body. The silence was perfect. I couldn't hear a thing. Thoughts suddenly began racing through my mind… before everything went dark…

"Jonathyn, stay calm," a voice suddenly entered my head. I would have jumped out of my skin if was able to move. I tried to move my lips, but couldn't. Not a sound came from my mouth, my voicebox had also seemed to stop working. "Jonathyn, it's Anabel," the voice said to me again. "I'm talking to you through telepathy. Darkhan has frozen you solid and your icy prison is near impenetrable." I began to fear the worst. I was too young to die. There was still so much that I had left to do with my life. "Don't think that way," Anabel's voice soothingly said to me. "We're doing our best."

"Jonathyn," I suddenly heard Misty's voice call to me in the same sort of echo-like voice. "Are you okay?"

"He can't talk back, Misty," Anabel replied to her. I wondered how Misty was able to use telepathy. "She's talking to you through me," Anabel answered. As much as I hated it when she read my mind, at least it was doing some good this time.

"Jonathyn, stay strong," Misty encouragingly pleaded. "I'm sorry for being so… you know… recently," she sniffed. It almost sounded as though she was crying. "It's just that I care for you so much and I don't want anything to come between us. To be honest, I thought that Sandra was trying to steal you away from me. But now… you might be gone for good."

"I'm not going anywhere," I blurted out, taking me by surprise. My lips had not even moved, still frozen in the same position. "What the…" I spoke again with a confused tone.

"You've tapped in to your own Psychic power," Anabel said with a tone of excitement. "It makes sense. When you use mental powers, your other senses seem to become useless. Perhaps being encased in ice has helped you tap into that."

"I get the picture," I replied with a sarcastic voice. "But… what is happening? What's going on?"

"Sandra and Brock went off in pursuit of Darkhan," Misty said. "Darkhan got away on the back of the Articuno. Sandra is giving chase on her Flygon and Brock is flying on the back of her Salamence."

"I didn't know Sandra had a Salamence," I replied. "They're quite powerful. Wonder why she didn't use it in our battle."

"Quagsire's Ice Beam would have done more damage to it than her other Pokemon, being both a Dragon and a Flying Type," Misty's voice explained to me.

"Makes perfect sense," I approved her reply. "But what is happening now? How are you going to get me out of this ice. I'm not being funny, but there's not a lot that I can do."

"There is a trainer nearby," Anabel said to me, her voice fading a little. "Misty's gone to get her and see if she can help you out."

"What about Paul?" I asked. Surely Paul wasn't THAT shallow as to walk away from someone who had been frozen solid.

"He went off in a sulk," Anabel confirmed my hypothesis. "I don't think that he's fond of losing."

"I don't think many people are," I replied with another sarcastic tone.

"Brace yourself, Jonathyn," Anabel's voice spoke to me once again. "This Pokemon trainer is going to try and melt the ice with her Pokemon."

"A Fire Type, huh?" I pondered. "Just as well, it's a bit cold in here."

"Nice to see you're trying to make light of the situation," Anabel said with a kind of relieved voice. "Get ready, she's doing it now." It fell silent for a few moments, before slowly I began to feel the difference in temperature. I could feel the ice melting against my skin. It was cold and wet, but the rest of my body was certainly warming up. I could now see a mixture of red behind a layer of frozen blue. I could hear small cracks where the ice was melting around me. It was as though all of my senses were coming back all at once. "You're doing great," Anabel almost whispered to me. The volume of her voice seemed to be fading. Perhaps it was something to do with the fact that I was regaining the use of my senses. Eventually, the distorted layer of blue faded. My arm jolted forward, breaking through the thinned ice. With a small amount of effort, I burst out of my tomb and back into reality. The sun had now come out in place of the black clouds, shining fiercely. Upon breaking free I could see two Smeargles stood in front of me. One greeted me with a low pitched tone, the other was much more squeaky.

"Oh… hello again," a female voice greeted me also. I turned to see the innocent young face of a girl I had met earlier.

"Mimi isn't it?" I tried to remember her name. She nodded, letting out a small playful giggle. "Yes. Hello. Thank you for helping me just there."

"No problem," she squeaked. Her two Smeargles looked delighted with themselves. "Thank you Jelly! Thank you Arty."

"Arty?" I raised an eyebrow at this strange nickname. "And Jelly?" I added with an even stranger tone. The Smeargle stood on the right side of me suddenly began to glow a pale white colour… it began to change its shape. "Is that Smeargle… evolving!?" I gasped in awe.

"No silly!" Mimi giggled again. The Smeargle had now turned into a small pink blob. I recognised what kind of Pokemon it was after a moment of examination. "This is Jelly, my Ditto!" Mimi explained. "I had it transform into my Smeargle, Arty, to use the Flamethrower technique that it knows."

"That was a good idea," I smiled. "What time is it now?" I asked, my Poketch did not work at the moment due to the effects of the cold.

"It was about four o'clock or so," Mimi replied. My jaw dropped. That couldn't have been the time!

"Well then… how long was I frozen!?" I stammered, still not believing that the time had gone by so quickly.

"A good two hours or more," Anabel answered. My jaw dropped even further. The time really had shot past. It was as though the whole experience took less than ten minutes or so. "I'm quite amazed that you managed to survive for as long as you did," she continued. "But you managed to tap into your hidden talents and I guess that is what kept you alive." I nodded, before looking over to Misty. She had been unusually quiet and was turned away slightly from the rest of us.

"Is something the matter, Misty?" I asked, trying to sound concerned. I was still recovering from my frozen ordeal, but Misty looked as though she had been through even more than what I had. She remained completely soundless. "Misty?" I asked again, before noticing a small tear drop fall to from her cheek to the ground. Anabel and Mimi both gave me encouraging looks. I nodded both of them before sliding my arms around her as comfortingly as possible. She wiped another tear from her eye, before clasping hold of one of my arms with both her hands. It was strange that even though I could tell she was using both hands, I couldn't tell which arm she had a hold of. That must have been to do with the lingering effects of the cold. My nerves had not yet fully returned back to normal.

"I was so scared," Misty whimpered. I shushed her quietly, rocking with her in a twisting motion. "I thought I'd lost you for good."

"Nah," I chuckled in an attempt to make this conversation slightly more positive than it was at this time. "Takes more than a big ice bird to take a guy like me down."

"But what if…" Misty began.

"…It didn't, did it?" I interrupted, not wanting to hear her whine anymore. "So don't get so worked up about it. I'm here. Large as life. Don't be sad, Misty."

"I'm not crying because I'm sad," Misty turned to me, her eyes had turned red where she had been crying so much. "I'm crying because I am happy. I'm crying because I'm relieved."

"Sorry, why are you crying?" I asked acerbically. In response, Misty mischievously elbowed me in my side. She began to laugh a little, which was a good sign.

"Umm… excuse me, Jonathyn," Mimi pipped up from behind us. She also seemed a little bit different to the giggling young girl that she had been before, but it was probably an awkward time for her to chuckle with us. "The draw for the Fifth Round was made not too long ago."

"Oh man!" I sighed. "I missed the draw? Come to think of it, do you know who is through?"

"Yeah, course I do!" Mimi replied, a little more seriously than usual. "There's that Cynthia girl who is really really good. The guy who dresses up as a Cacturne… Marley I think his name is."

"Harley," I corrected her, cringing at his name. How the heck did a guy like that manage to get through to the last sixteen? I didn't have time to wonder, as Mimi continued her list.

"That Ash guy won his battle too, so did that Paul who was here earlier," she resumed. "Uhh… then there's you… me… and some other people that I don't really recognise. All I know is that you're on the Steel Field."

"Make sense, since I haven't battled on there yet," I acknowledged. "So what are the rules?"

"It'll be a Four on Four Double Battle," Mimi replied.

"That's a new one," I shrugged. I understood the jist of the match type, but had never battled in one before. I assumed that both trainers could battle with two Pokemon at once and switch between two more. "So, who are you battling?" I asked her. Mimi gave me a strange look. It was obvious what her answer was going to be.

"I'm battling against you, Jonathyn Christian," she replied, as she and her Smeargle and Ditto both looked at me without any hesitation.

**TO BE CONTINUED**

_**NEXT TIME:** With the curfew still in effect, Jonathyn must select his team for his next battle. But strange things are happening in his dorm…_


	31. Chapter 31

_Disclaimer: nomekoP nwo ton od I. Read it backwards (or look at the other 30 chapters) and you'll find out that it says I do not own Pokemon._

**THE LEAGUE OF CHAMPIONS**

**CHAPTER 31: STEEL FIELD BATTLEPLAN! ATTACK OF THE POLTERGEIST!**

It hardly surprised me, this revelation. The way things had been going recently, I was becoming more and more accustomed to having strange twists in the midst of something. Knowing that this young, weak looking trainer was my next opponent made me feel good internally. But I refused to underestimate her. Especially since I had seen two of her Pokemon… a Smeargle and a Ditto, both extremely unordinary Pokemon. She must have a wide knowledge of Pokemon moves and how to use them effectively against her foes. I wondered what other two Pokemon she would battle with… and also which I would use myself. After brushing off a few more melted droplets of water from my jacket, I turned back to Mimi with Misty still in my arms.

"So, do I have to register my Pokemon like before?" I asked, hoping that I could get some insight as to which selection my future opponent had made.

"I think so," Mimi replied with a rather disheartened voice. It was strange how something as simple as competition could change someone's usual behaviour. It had happened with Misty. It had happened with Sandra. And now, it seemed that even Mimi had been placed under the tournament's competitive trance. But rather than seriousness, her voice had been replaced by some sort of sadness. It was as though she did not seem to want to battle at all.

"Four Pokemon, huh?" I broke the silence. "Which are you going to use?"

"That's for me to know and you to find out," Mimi seemed to sneer at Misty whilst she said it. Misty noticed this and was slightly taken aback by the glance that this younger girl had given her. "If you'll excuse me…" she briefly spoke, before turning away and walking back in the direction she had come from, but not before calling her Smeargle and her Ditto back into their Poke Balls. Anabel walked up next to Misty and I. She let out a small chuckle, before looking at me strangely.

"She's thinking something, isn't she?" I thought aloud to Anabel. I could tell by the expression on her face.

"Yes," Anabel smirked in response. "But it isn't my place to say what it is."

"That's fair enough," I sighed. "So what do we do now? Do we either go after Darkhan or do something else?"

"I can notify the authorities that it is Darkhan who has been causing so much trouble," Anabel kindly offered. "I'm sure that you and Misty want some alone time." I gave her a quick glare and began to think the reason. She nodded, knowing not to read my mind so often.

"Thanks for all your help, Anabel," Misty smiled politely.

"No need to thank me," Anabel replied. "I'd best go and see how Ash is doing."

"He's probably ecstatic by now," Misty shrugged, burying her shoulder into my chest. "You know how he gets. It doesn't take a mind reader to know that."

"True," Anabel laughed. "But at least he's happy. And if he is happy, then so am I. But I digress. I had best go check on him. I'll catch up with you tomorrow. The curfew hits soon and I don't like being told off none too much."

"Nor us," I smiled. "See you soon, Anabel. Take care." We parted ways, waving goodbye to each other. Misty smiled and held my hand as we walked back in the direction of the Trainer Village. My Poketch still wasn't working, but it must have been a good hour or two before the curfew hits in again. "So what do you want to do?" I asked as we walked further. "I ought to register my Pokemon… not to mention heal them too."

"I'm sorry about before," Misty suddenly blurted out.

"What?" I asked, pretending as though I didn't hear the first time.

"I said I'm sorry. I acted so immaturely and selfishly before and it isn't fair on you. I'm a terrible girlfriend."

"Don't be stupid," I sighed. "If you were terrible, I'd have dumped you by now."

"You know what I mean," she murmured sadly.

"Get a grip," I snapped a little, stopping Misty and grabbing her by the shoulders as if to shake her. "Nothing you can do will ever hurt me. Nothing. Understand?"

"I know," Misty picked one of my hands off her shoulder. "I just don't want to lose you."

"You won't, so stop worrying about it," I sternly told her. "I love you, that's all that matters." Misty fell silent again for a moment, before raising her head and smiling briefly. We shared a small kiss, securing the completion of that conversation. With that out of the way, we started heading back in the direction of the Trainer Village. From there, we could get back to the Indigo Stadium hopefully in time for me to register and heal my Pokemon. As if reading my mind in the manner Anabel would, Misty suddenly come out with the burning question. "So which Pokemon will you use this time?"

"I don't really know yet," I replied.

"Do you think Aggron and Gabite will get along if they battle side by side again?" Misty asked.

"There's no reason why I can't battle with them at different times," I thought aloud. "If I send out Aggron first, I can switch in Gabite later in the match."

"What about your Nidorino?" Misty suggested. "It hasn't even battled in the tournament yet." I began to think about the Poison Type… it was the first Pokemon that I had ever captured, yet it never seemed to reach its full potential… as much as I would love to battle with it, I was too worried that it might not be cut out for such a rigorous battle. Then again, maybe it would have something to prove seeing that it had been at my side all this time.

"I still don't know," I answered again.

"Well then… how about your Quagsire?" she persisted to get an answer from me. "It played a vital part in your battle against Sandra."

"I know that," I replied, a little flustered by this quick thinking. "Quagsire would sure come in handy, but there's also Houndoom… and I've got Bayleef and some of my other Pokemon back in Johto that can be sent to me as well."

"Do you have time for that?" Misty wondered. "I mean we've only got about half an hour until we have to be back inside…"

"In which case, we need to pick up the pace," I smiled, beginning to walk at hastier pace. Misty was caught by surprise, stumbling as I almost dragged her along with me. The fast paced walk eventually turned into a light jog, before forming into a full on sprint. I unwittingly left Misty in the dust behind me. Not much time later, I arrived at the entrance to the Indigo Plateau Lobby, inside which was a Pokemon Centre. Misty wheezed as she eventually caught up to me.

"Why do you always do that?" she panted angrily.

"Don't blame me," I shrugged defensively. "If you want to blame anyone, blame that Team Rocket for causing this stupid curfew." With that, I walked up the one of the Nurse Joys that were on duty. She smiled at me welcomingly.

"Hello again, Jonathyn," she beamed. I could not tell that she had seen me before. They all looked the same to me.

"Good to see you again," I said, a little sarcastically since I did not know exactly where I had seen her before. "I'd like to heal all of my Pokemon and register the ones which I'll be using in my next battle, please."

"Certainly," she bowed happily. I placed all six of my Poke Balls into a small tray that she had set in front of me. The balls fitted perfectly into half-spherical dips in the tray. She placed them into a small machine just behind her, before turning back to me. "Now, which would you like to use?" she asked with another tender smile.

"I would like to use my Aggron and my Gabite," I stopped to quickly think of which two Pokemon would prove most useful to me. "And my Houndoom…" I chose, due to the fact that it had battled valiantly and loyally so far, only losing to the Vespiquen that Casey had chosen before. I had one more choice… I was torn between Quagsire, Pelipper, Nidorino and Bayleef. Quagsire had proven to be vital whilst battling Sandra's Dragons, but that was only because the conditions were right. The pool from the Water Field helped to heal it and it's Ice Beam worked perfectly against them. But this would be a field made of metal, with no water at all. Pelipper on the other hand knew the move Steel Wing, which I thought could be a good thing being in a suitable environment. Nidorino…well, I wasn't sure. It had only been in two confrontations since arriving, both against Darkhan. And both times it didn't cut the mustard. Perhaps with some training, it could do… "And my Nidorino!" I decided.

"Good," Nurse Joy nodded. "So that's Aggron, Gabite, Houndoom and Nidorino. Would you like me to confirm your opponents Pokemon?"

"You can do that!?" my jaw almost dropped as she said this. "I didn't know that you could tell me what Pokemon my opponent would use!"

"That's because so far you have always registered first," the Nurse Joy pointed out to me. "You should have known that."

"I should have." I nodded in agreement. "So which Pokemon will she use?"

"She has registered to use a Chatot, a Sudowoodo, a Ditto and a Smeargle," she informed me. "But between me and you, she has more than one Smeargle, so who knows what moves it is capable of using."

"That's not a problem," I smiled. "This will be a breeze."

"Don't be so sure, Jonathyn," Misty warned me. "You said that about Casey, yet her Vespiquen nearly wiped you out. Not to mention Darkhan's Dusknoir… which did!"

"I know… but to use a Chatot in battle is suicide!" I chuckled.

"Don't underestimate her," she said sternly. "She must be talented to get to the top sixteen."

"True," I nodded obliging this fact. "In fact Nurse Joy… could you tell me who else is battling in the next round?"

"Of course," she nodded, tapping something into the keyboard whilst looking at a monitor. "Along with yourself and Mimi, there is Harley of Slateport City…" she noticed that both Misty and I cringed at the mention of his name. "He is battling against a trainer named Jon Dickson. He is a former champion of the Johto League."

"Good. At least Harley will be squashed." I muttered to Misty. "Who else?"

"Then there is Paul from Sinnoh… he facing a trainer from Kanto… but I can't pronounce his name."

"Convenient," I chuckled to myself.

"Then there is Cynthia from Celestic Town in Sinnoh," Nurse Joy continued. "And her opponent will be a trainer from Pallet Town here in Kanto named Ash Ketchum." Both of us suddenly froze. Nurse Joy noticed this. "Is something wrong?" she asked.

"Ash has to battle Cynthia!?" Misty squeaked, almost shaking in fact.

"That'll be one heck of a match," I smiled, looking forward to these two powerful trainers go face to face with each other. Misty on the other hand looked almost heartbroken.

"He can't…" Misty whimpered, almost in tears.

"What's the matter?" I asked, approaching her comfortingly.

"Ash can't beat Cynthia… no one can," she sniffed.

"What are you trying to say? You don't think I can beat her?"

"Can you?" she glared at me looking unconvincingly.

"Well… do you think I can?" I let out a small grin.

"Like I said… no one can beat her," Misty replied, wiping away a small tear. She looked rather upset, possibly the fact that Ash was facing this dominating trainer was too much for her to handle. I wasn't too happy to see Misty lose to Paul, but then again I was more focused on winning my next battle at that time, since I was and am still in contention to win this.

"I guess someone will have to prove you wrong, whether it be Ash or myself," I grinned. At first, I had been intimidated by Cynthia. Her power was most definitely not to be taken lightly. But now, seeing as how I had beaten so many powerful trainers already, my fears seemed to have melted away. Personally, I was hoping Cynthia would beat Ash, simply so that I would have the honour of defeating her for myself. That and the fact that at least this way there would be one less obstacle threatening the relationship between Misty and I. My train of thought was derailed, however, when Nurse Joy presented me with my healed Pokemon. "Damn, that was quick!" I blurted. Only ten minutes had passed. I expected it to be a lot longer than that, yet it didn't worry me so much. All of a sudden, the lights went out. Nurse Joy, Misty and I looked around in confusion.

"What happened?" Nurse Joy said aloud, although not meaning to.

"It's just a power outage," I shrugged in the darkness.

"But the backup generator should switch the lights back on until we can figure out what the problem is, but even that isn't working," she added.

"Think Team Rocket has something to do with this? Or perhaps Darkhan?" Misty suggested.

"I don't know," I replied unknowing. "Could be, I guess."

"You two had best head back to your dorms," Nurse Joy instructed us. "It might get dangerous."

"Alright then," I nodded. All of a sudden, Nurse Joy's monitor exploded right in front of her. A puff of smoke could be seen amidst the darkness. We stopped and ran over to the desk where Nurse Joy was now cowering.

"Nurse Joy! Nurse Joy!" Misty called. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," she coughed, waving some of the smoke out of her face. We all suddenly froze when a menacing chuckle echoed through the otherwise empty lobby.

"Rorororo!" the laugh taunted with a high pitched scream. I armed myself with a Poke Ball, as the other monitors around the lobby began to explode as well. A shower of plastic and glass sprinkled over us, yet not cutting any of us. Then light bulbs began to flash and burst as well. Misty and I accompanied Nurse Joy in a sprint to the door to escape, but when we got there they we locked.

"I didn't lock the door, though," Nurse Joy panicked. "What's going on?"

"Stay calm, Nurse Joy," Misty encouraged her. "Let's try one of the other doors, even if we have to go in through one of the arenas."

"Good call," I nodded, before suddenly being struck in the chest by a sharp pain. I saw a flash of light just beforehand as I slumped back against the door.

"Jonathyn!" Misty shrieked a little, but trying not to be a bad influence to the already nervous Nurse Joy.

"I'm alright," I grunted, getting back up to my feet. "That felt like an electric shock. Maybe it IS Darkhan. Not if I have anything to say about it," I snarled, picking up the Poke Ball that I had only just realised I had dropped after being struck. "Houndoom, come on out." For the first time in a while, my Dark Type Pokemon appeared. I could only see the white horns and bone-like features on its back. "Houndoom, get ready for anything!" I warned to it.

"Houndoo, doom," it barked obediently, standing loyally by my side. It took an aggressive stance for whatever was about to come out in front of us. We waited in silence for a few moments, but nothing happened. Without warning though, a loud buzz that almost ruptured our eardrums bursts through the speakers at maximum volume. The sound was so painful that we all dropped to the floor like flies, covering our ears. Even Houndoom was feeling the effects of the horrific noise.

"What's happening!?" I shouted as loud as I could, but my voice was drowned out by the sound. We all appeared to be in absolute agony… until mercifully the noise stopped.

"Rororororo!" the high pitched menace laughed again, the occupant of this voice still unknown to us.

"What are we going to do?" Nurse Joy whimpered in fear.

"We'll just have to wait and find out who is behind all of this, and then take him down." I snarled. Houndoom nodded next to me, ready to fight.

"We'll be here all night if we just wait around," Misty argued. "We can't wait for it to come to us, we should go to find it."

"Darkhan!" I shouted as intimidatingly as I could. "You think your cheap tricks will work? You're wrong. Face me like a man, you coward!" we waited, but there was no response.

"I don't think that it's necessarily Darkhan who is behind this," Misty said to me. I stopped to think for a moment, before coming up with a possible solution.

"Team Rocket!" I shouted as intimidatingly as I could. "You think your cheap tricks will work? You're wrong. Face me like a man, you cowards!" we waited, but there was no response… just like before.

"For some reason, I don't think that Team Rocket is behind this either," Misty tisked, obviously unimpressed by my current deductions.

"Well then who is it, The Invisible Man?" I snapped a little.

"No… but it could be an invisible Pokemon," Nurse Joy suggested.

"You mean like a Ghost Pokemon or just one that isn't in view?" I asked, dim wittedly.

"Jon, you really are thick sometimes," Misty sighed. I frowned at her, yet it was too dark for her to notice. "With what's been happening, I'd say that a Ghost Pokemon sound's like a good bet."

"Darkhan has a Dusknoir…" I began.

"If you say that Darkhan is behind this one more time, I swear to Arceus…" Misty threatened me. I quickly fell silent. "What about a Magnemite or some other electric Pokemon? They feed off electricity and they're a bit more common than Ghost Types."

"You never know though," Nurse Joy said. "That electric attack must mean that it has electrical qualities, but Ghost Pokemon also have the ability to use a wider array of electric attacks than any other Pokemon… other than the Electric Type themselves, of course."

"I still think that Dar--OW!" I suddenly stopped as an unseen slap hit me on the chest. It didn't hurt as much as the electric strike, but it was in the same place and was still sore. Misty was obviously the one who hit me, but where she was I didn't know. I still could not see sod all. "Alright, perhaps a Rattata just chewed through the electrics or something."

"It explains the blackout, but not the exploding monitors or that high pitched scream," Misty shot down my suggestion. No sooner than she had said that, the noise started again. I covered my ears and dropped down to the ground, the sound shattering against my eardrums. They felt as though they were going to burst. It suddenly stopped, I took a moment to shake the cobwebs before standing up. The noise started again as soon as I pulled my hands away from my ears. Moments later, it stopped. But it carried on stopping and starting a good few times.

"This…" I began, before being cut off by the noise. "Is…" I continued, when it happened again. "Crazy!" I finally finished my sentence before the noise cut me off again.

"Rororororo!" the laugh once again made its presence felt. We all looked up, to see a small ball of white and orange light float across the roof of the lobby. I could not tell what it was, but there were small sparks shooting from it as it floated past, threatening to strike us. But the Discharge attack was too far away to do any harm to us.

"There it is!" I shouted. "Quick, Houndoom. Use Flamethrower!"

"Wait, stop!" Nurse Joy quickly interrupted. "You could burn this whole place to the ground."

"Well then what should we do?" I asked, as the strange light faded into another speaker, before letting loose another booming screech. Several more moments passed before it stopped.

"If it really is a Ghost Type, then have your Houndoom use a Dark Type attack, that should be super effective against it."

"Right… Houndoom, when that thing appears next use Faint Attack. You should be able to knock that thing down no problem, right?"

"Doom, Houndoom," it snarled, bracing itself to pounce, but not before another barrage of sound struck us all down. Within seconds though, the orb of light began moving over us. Houndoom spotted it instantly and leapt up. It somehow managed to jump high enough to hit the ball, but a burst of electricity knocked it back down to the ground. Small sparks covered its whole body.

"Paralysed," I snarled. "God, damn it! Now what do we do?"

"I have a Full Heal behind the desk, you can use it to reverse the effects of Paralysis," Nurse Joy said to me, quickly walking off somewhere. The sound of her high heeled shoes clicked and clacked against the solid floor. She returned and began to spray the Full Heal over my Houndoom, but was quickly stopped by that awful sound again. Despite this, she managed to empty the Full Heal over Houndoom. The sparks faded from the Dark Fire Type's body and when the noise finally died down, it was ready to attack once again.

"Why do you keep Full Heals behind the desk?" I asked. "Don't you have a machine to heal Pokemon?"

"Well, in emergencies like this it can come in handy," Nurse Joy replied with a hint of sarcasm. "And besides, Houndoom is probably the best Pokemon to take that thing down, whatever it is."

"It's got to be a Ghost Type," Misty nodded. "Did you see how it faded in and out of those speakers?"

"There's got to be a way to settle this," I sighed. "I'm getting sick and tired of this thing. Faint Attack won't work… nor will Fire attacks, and it's electrical attacks can just paralyse a foe instantly."

"Doesn't your Gabite know Crunch?" Misty suggested. "And being a Ground Type will stop it's electric attacks dead."

"No good," I replied, shaking my head even though I doubted that she could see that. "Gabite forgot how to use Crunch when it learned Dragon Rush right before Lairon evolved into Aggron. And Gabite's Crunch would be difficult to hit a flying target."

"Then you've got to stick with Houndoom," Nurse Joy demanded, before the orb began to float down towards us, shooting off more sparks which struck all of us. Houndoom managed to remain standing, yet Nurse Joy, Misty and I fell down from the force of the Discharge attack. "Everyone okay?" Nurse Joy asked.

"Never better," I sarcastically responded.

"I'm none too bad myself," Misty grunted with equal mockery. We all looked up at the strange Pokemon. It was a kind of spherical shape with two zig-zag like arms coming just beneath its torso. Its 'body' so to speak was a light orange, yet an intense blue aura surrounded it. I could barely make out a small pair of eyes and a small mouth.

"Rororororo!" It laughed once again, this time threatening us to attack it.

"Alright then, Rotom!" I grinned, walking up to stand by my Houndoom. "Your days of torment are over. Get ready to battle!"

**TO BE CONTINUED**

_**NEXT TIME:** Jonathyn and Houndoom battle the mischevious Rotom that has caused them so much grief already, but there could still be trouble ahead when the battle is over. What will come of this confrontation?_

* * *


	32. Chapter 32

_**Disclaimer:** I do not own Pokemon… I'm getting quite tired of trying to think of witty things to put in my disclaimers, so this time I shaln't bother._

_MESSAGE TO READERS: Well, we're still going strong. There will be a couple of new characters added in this chapter who will play a vital part later on in the series… that's right, folks… there will be a sequel to "The League Of Champions" that I am already working on. I don't want to spoil it too much for you, so you shall just have to figure out what is going to happen yourself._

_And to answer the question posted on the reviews by Zeda The Twilight Knight, when Darkhan says 'Disaster,' you should note which Pokemon are in view as he says it… in particular, his Absol. Absol is known as the Disaster Pokemon, so Darkhan uses it as a visual means of intimidation as well as effectively influencing Darkhan's destructive and dark character, since Absol is a Dark Type and all._

_So, without further delay, go grab a lemonade or something, kick back and enjoy!_

* * *

**THE LEAGUE OF CHAMPIONS**

**CHAPTER 32: WILD ROTOM APPEARED! THE DARKNESS STARTS TO FADE!**

The Rotom hovered ominously above us. For such a small Pokemon, it certainly seemed to pack a powerful punch with its electrical attacks. I knew that Rotom were extremely rare in the wild, but it made sense that one had appeared right here. Like most Electric types, they tended to feed on electrical currents. And being the main lobby to one of the biggest tournaments, there was a feast of technology available for it to consume. However, it was certainly not an appropriate feeding ground and this time. Houndoom continued to stand obediently by my side as it had done so many times before. I considered this a good match up for us. Dark Types could wipe the floor with most Ghost Types. If all else failed, I had Quagsire and Gabite on hand, both of which were Ground Types, rendering its electrical attacks useless.

"Rororororo!" the Rotom wailed again, engulfing itself with electricity. Sparks seemed to form around it, before concentrating inside its plasma-like body. The pointed tip of its head began to glow an electric yellow.

"What is it doing?" I frowned, confused by the wild Pokemon's tactic.

"It's using Charge," Nurse Joy explained. "It literally charges up an electric attack, whilst increasing a part of its defence."

"So that means it's going to launch an electric attack next," I deduced. "Stay focused, Houndoom." I didn't take my eyes away from the Rotom, who was concentrating even more electricity to the tip of its head, before suddenly shooting a large beam of electrical energy straight at Houndoom and I. "Dodge that!" I shouted, jumping back at the same time as my Dark Type Pokemon. A crackling sound could be heard as the Rotom's Charge Beam hit nothing but the floor, dispersing over the area. Some sparks hit Houndoom, which let out a small yelp surprised by the pain that it inflicted. "Now, Houndoom use Faint Attack!" Once more, Houndoom leapt into the air, before fading from view. It was rather amazing to see it mystically reappear behind the Rotom and went to strike it. Suddenly though, as if from nowhere several more Rotom appeared alongside it. Houndoom did not lose focus however and continue to tackle one of the figures. It faded as Houndoom passed through its body.

"It's using Double Team!" Misty gasped. "It knows moves that can raise both its attack and defence as well as being able to effectively dodge attacks." Houndoom landed back on the floor unscathed, although perhaps a little bit frustrated.

"We've got no choice," I scowled. "Houndoom, use Flamethrower on all of them!"

"You can't!" Nurse Joy pleaded. "You'll set the whole place on fire."

"Quagsire and Pelipper can help douse any flames," I suggested, a little annoyed at Nurse Joy's protest. "And Misty has an army of Water Pokemon. Now Houndoom, do it!" A ball of flame began to swirl in Houndoom's mouth, before spitting out a stream of flames towards the Rotoms. One by one, they faded into nothingness as the Flamethrower attack passed over them, until finally the real one was engulfed by the fire. It soon shook off the attack and retaliated by unleashing a strange wind. The wind felt quite warm, yet at the same time it was like being pelted with some kind of filth. Houndoom seemed to resist the attack, simply shielding its eyes by turning away. But this would prove to be a critical error, as the Rotom suddenly unleashed another Charge Beam whilst heading straight towards it. The electrical attack struck Houndoom with authority, knocking the Dark Type clean off its feet. It skidded across the smooth floor, before bumping into the wall coming to a stop. It got back up to its feet and bounded forward preparing for another attack.

"That Rotom is surprisingly powerful," Misty said to me. "I guess that Ominous Wind raised its power considerably."

"I don't care… it can't handle Dark Type attacks. Houndoom, Faint Attack!" I ordered again. Houndoom jumped up once more, disappearing from view before revealing itself behind the unsuspecting Ghost, knocking it down to a lower level of altitude. "Now use Crunch!" As Houndoom began to fall back down to the ground, it angled its head above the Rotom, before baring its sharp fangs and crunching down on the Rotom. But in response to this attack, the Rotom sent a scattering of sparks into Houndoom's throat, causing it to yelp wildly, dropping back down to the ground limply. "Damn it," I cursed, noticing that the Discharge attack had once again left Houndoom suffering the paralysing side effects. "Nurse Joy, do you have another one of those Full Heals?"

"Sure," she nodded, running over to the desk. Before she could reach the Full Heal that she was seeking, the Rotom suddenly appeared in front of her and began to use Charge warningly. She quickly backed away.

"Houndoom, use Faint Attack again!" I instructed. Houndoom slowly turned around and attempted to use the attack, but the paralysis had seeped in and had immobilised it entirely. The Rotom noticed the failed attempt and retaliated by firing another Charge Beam. My Houndoom was completely helpless as the powerful electric attack struck it down again, this time knocking it out. Houndoom had been defeated, much to my dismay. But this Rotom must be more powerful than any of us had expected to defeat a Pokemon with such strength as my Houndoom. Perhaps this Pokemon was worth capturing…

"Houndoom, you've done well. Return!" I called to it, withdrawing the tired hellhound back into its Poke Ball. I held a replacement ball in my hand and tossed it forward. "Quagsire, let's go!" I called, as the happy mudfish appeared in front of me. It turned to look at me, it's gaping smile wider than ever. It started running towards me with its arms spread. "No time for hellos, Quagsire," I said to it sternly. "Battle this Rotom. Use your Yawn to put it to sleep."

"Sire!" It yawned, a bubble appearing and floating up towards the Rotom. The Rotom unleashed another Discharge attack, popping the bubble. So much for that idea.

"Fine… then use Ice Beam!" I ordered. Quagsire unleashed its freezing ray at the Rotom, striking it dead on. The Electric Ghost Pokemon let out a strange buzzing noise as it sustained damage. "Now follow up with Yawn again!" I shouted. Quagsire let loose another drowsy bubble, floating up towards the Rotom. It popped as made impact, but unusually nothing happened.

"Rorororo!" the Rotom laughed mischievously once again.

"Why didn't that work?" I snarled in frustration. "It should be asleep."

"Normal attacks like Yawn don't work on Ghosts," Misty informed me. I couldn't believe that I had overlooked this fact.

"And neither will it's Focus Punch or Body Slam in that case," I sighed. "But we can win with Ice Beam alone. Hopefully, we can freeze it. That way it will be a cinch to capture. So use Ice Beam again, Quagsire!" With the instruction given, Quagsire let loose yet another Ice Beam, as the Rotom let loose another Ominous Wind. At least that would be the only real attack it could use, since it's electric attacks could do no damage to a Ground Type like Quagsire. Despite the Ghost's attack, it could not keep it going once the Ice Beam hit it again. Another strange buzzing sound could be heard. I watched carefully, hoping for some sort of indication that the Ice Beam had frozen the persistant Rotom. However, it had not. I cursed under my breath, wondering how long it would take. For some reason though, the Rotom had begun to use Charge again. This made me scratch my head in confusion. "Why use Charge? Electric attacks won't work…"

"It could be doing it to raise its defense levels," Nurse Joy suggested, who had now returned from the desk, albeit empty handed. "After all, I doubt any Pokemon can withstand too many Ice Beams for a great period of time."

"Good point," I nodded. "But we've got to keep trying. Ice Beam again!" I shouted. Quagsire let loose another Ice Beam, but to my annoyance the Rotom split itself into more copies of itself. The Double Team technique was proving to be a huge disadvantage. "Never mind, use Ice Beam on all of them!" I grinned. Quagsire focused its Ice Beam over each and every Rotom that had appeared in the same manner that Houndoom had done with its Flamethrower before. The copies of itself vanished as the Ice Beam passed through them, before finally the true Rotom was found. "Full power!" I ordered, hoping that the extra effort that Quagsire would put in would be enough to freeze it. I instantly noticed the Ice Beam gain size and speed. The Rotom continued to buzz, before finally I could see a crystalline film appear over the Ghost. As Quagsire ceased the flow of the Ice Beam, the frozen Rotom fell like a stone to the ground. I pulled out an empty Poke Ball, this was the best chance that I would get.

"Poke Ball… Go!" I shouted lamely, throwing the Poke Ball towards the frozen ball of plasma. As it struck, the ball opened and sucked the Rotom inside before dropping to the ground. Misty, Nurse Joy and I all looked on with great interest. Hopefully, this Rotom would be mine. The ball rocked back and forth. A small red light was flashing in the very center of the ball… finally, it came to a stop. I approached the ball slowly and picked it up.

"That's that, then," I grinned, clutching my newly acquired Rotom's Pokemon. "I caught the Rotom!" For some reason, I gleefully posed with the Poke Ball. To my surprise, the Poke Ball vanished into thin air. It was then that I realised that it had gone back to Johto, since I already had six Pokemon with me.

"Congratulations," Nurse Joy smiled. "At least now we can find a way out of here."

"Yeah… and I can't even use Rotom to undo what it has done, so we'll have to try something else." I sighed.

"All the light bulbs burst earlier anyway," Misty said. "It's getting rather dark outside. We need some light."

"It's too bad that I don't have a flashlight," Nurse Joy sighed. "Would have been useful right about now."

"Do tell," I replied with a hint of sarcasm. "Why don't we just bust the door down? It's not as though it will make much difference. The place is already in a big enough of a state."

"We can't leave the doors open. Anyone could come in and there are still some trainers' Pokemon with us." Nurse Joy explained. "And with these thieves running around the place, we can't afford to just leave the door open for them."

"If only I could get that Rotom back," I sighed. "We could use it's electric powers to unlock the door."

"Why not use Aggron's Shock Wave?" Misty suggested.

"Aggron doesn't seem to know the meaning of gentle," I chuckled slightly. "He'd probably blow the thing to smithereens."

"Yeah, you might be right," Misty sighed. "But there must be something we can do?"

"I've got it!" Nurse Joy smiled, a light turning on in her head. She reached into her apron and withdrew a Poke Ball of her own. "I hope this works. Come on out, Chansey!" Nurse Joy, opening the ball. An egg shaped Pokemon appeared, cheerfully saying its name out loud. "Chansey, we need you to use Psychic to open the doors for us, but please don't break it," Nurse Joy seemed to plead to it. The Chansey smiled obligingly, before focusing on the sliding doors that were currently locked. The Chansey's eyes began to glow a pale blue, which seemed to light up the whole area. The doors slowly began to slide open, as the Chansey walked out through the door. We were quick to follow, before the doors quickly closed behind us.

"Wow… a Chansey that knows Psychic," I exclaimed. "That's kinda cool."

"Yes, this Chansey is particularly fond of battling and manual work rather than healing patients," Nurse Joy explained. "Perhaps we should battle you sometime," she suggested.

"I think I've had enough battling for one day, thanks," I sighed. "We need to head back to the Trainer Village. It's way past the curfew."

"I'll walk with you," Nurse Joy kindly offered. "After all, if the night patrol spot you walking alone you'll be in big trouble. At least I will be able to vouch for you both."

"Thanks, Nurse Joy," Misty bowed gratefully. Nurse Joy simply smiled, signifying that it was not a problem.

"Chansey," Nurse Joy addressed to her Pokemon. "I'd like you to walk with us, if that is alright with you? If the Pokemon Thieves show up or anyone else that might cause us trouble, we'll need you to help take them down."

"Chansey! Chan!" the egg shaped Pokemon replied happily.

"There's no need for that," I said to Nurse Joy. "We've got our Pokemon that can help."

"You should rest your Pokemon until tomorrow," Nurse Joy replied. "Besides, your Houndoom needs some healing after taking all that damage from that Rotom."

"I suppose you have a point," I shrugged in agreement. With that, we began to walk in the direction of the Trainer Village. During the walk, Misty began talking to Nurse Joy about all sorts of things, but my mind began to wander after beginning to think about my next battle with Mimi. I had been told that she was using a Sudowoodo, a Chatot, a Ditto and a Smeargle. All these Pokemon had something in common, they were all masters of mimicry and imitation. It then struck me. Mimi… mimicry… it all made sense. Sudowoodo of course is known as the Imitation Pokemon, due to it's tree-like appearance when it is in fact a Rock Type Pokemon, as well as the ability to use Mimic, a move which can allow the Pokemon using it to use one of their opponents moves temporarily. Then, Chatot… a Pokemon that can imitate human speech. Although not particularly powerful, per say, it could well be Mimi's trump card, as in it may well be stronger than I had anticipated. Ditto of course has the ability to transform into a battling foe. And with our match being a double battle, it could take one of two forms. And finally, Smeargle. Capable of using pretty much any move a Pokemon can learn by using the fabled Sketch technique. Mimi would certainly be an unusual opponent, but I knew that I would need to stay focused and believe in my abilities as a trainer and believe in my Pokemon. They had done me justice so far and I refused to let them down, just in the way I'm sure that they will for me. I was snapped back into reality when something above us narrowly missed decapitating us, flying at a high speed just over us.

"Hey… what was that?" Misty jumped in shock as a whoosh of air rushed past her.

"I don't know," Nurse Joy replied. "But it's heading into the forest."

"It's probably just a Noctowl or something," I shrugged, yawning with more passion than Quagsire could.

"No way," Misty disagreed. "That was too big to be a Noctowl. It had quite a long tail though from what I saw."

"We'd best check it out," I muttered, with a possible idea of what it might have been.

"But you two need to go back home," Nurse Joy protested.

"Sorry, Nurse Joy," Misty apologised. "But there have been a lot of strange things going on around here and somehow Jonathyn and I seem to have gotten mixed up in it."

"And if it's anything to do with Darkhan, then I assure you that not even an army of Machamp will stop me," I added.

"Well…" Nurse Joy contemplated unsurely. "I'll come with you. At least I'll still be able to vouch for you."

"Really? You'd do that?" Misty asked.

"I could use a bit of excitement," Nurse Joy smiled, almost blushing. "Why, I haven't been on a proper adventure for years. It'll be nice to do something a little bit 'out-there' and whatnot."

"Fine by me," I smiled in acknowledgment. We looked back over to where the flying Pokemon had flown towards. It had flown into the forest, so we decided to make haste and pursue it. Despite how fast we were running, we were all undetected by several people who were meant to be on patrol. I noticed a couple of patrolmen had fallen asleep and two were having a Pokemon Battle themselves with a Vulpix and a Pachirisu. We managed to make the safety of the trees, before looking around vaguely. It was pitch black and we could barely see a thing.

"Chansey, would you use Flash for me, please?" Nurse Joy asked her Pokemon. Within seconds, a blinding white light lit up the whole area. Yet, it soon faded slightly, enabling us to see further. I could see a couple of shadows nearby. One of a human, the other of a familiar looking Pokemon.

"Misty… do you think that is who I think it is?" I questioned.

"I think so… if you're thinking it's that girl…" she replied, looking a little envious already.

"Let's go…" I whispered, as we walked closer. Chansey's Flash faded into nothing once again. I could hear some voices coming from nearby… I could not understand what they were saying from so far off. We crept up further and eventually came into view of the creature that had nearly taken our heads off… a Flygon. It's owner turned, detecting our presence. As thrilled as she was to see that I was not harmed from the Articuno's freezing attack, Sandra urged us to remain silent. Through a small parting in the trees, there were two figures. One was dressed in black and purple, not dissimilar to Darkhan. He was obviously a man. The female he was stood next to wore a similar outfit, however the purple was much darker and predominant than her male counterpart's attire.

"He won't be long," the female said with a sneer. "I'm sure that he suspects that something is amiss.

"I don't care," the male snorted, throwing and catching a Poke Ball into the air. "All that matters to me is that he is out of my life."

"You really want this position, huh?" the female chuckled. "Well, I can't say you aren't deserving. You're the only Dark Type Trainer so far who hasn't lost to any of us."

"I know that," the male snarled back, before placing the Poke Ball back into his pocket, before impatiently pacing back and forth. I gave Sandra a small look before whispering in her ear.

"Who are those two? Members of Team Rocket?" I asked.

"No," Sandra whispered back. "I don't know who they are… but I know that they're up to no good."

"In what respect?" I asked again.

"Just keep quiet and keep your ears open," Sandra ordered me. I nodded and slunk back next to Misty. The two people dressed in purple and black both seemed a little distressed now. The male was now kicking dirt into the air. The female was now leaning back against a tree, arms folded looking quite impatient by this time as well.

"What's taking him so long?" the male scowled, not willing to wait for much longer.

"Tyne, just settle down," the woman retorted. "He is probably preparing himself for the worst."

"Well, however bad he thinks its going to be will be ten fold," the man known as Tyne remarked. There was a sudden rustling from nearby. Leaping down from a tree, a figure dressed entirely in black appeared right next to the other two. I instantly recognised the man to be Darkhan.

"There he is," I whispered aggressively. "Let's take him down once and for all." I prepared a Poke Ball, ready to launch a full scale assault on the wicked swordsman.

"Wait, Jonathyn," Sandra blocked off my path, yet silently. "Just wait and see what happens." With a reluctant sigh, I crouched back down whilst placing the Poke Ball back into the safety of my jacket pocket. The trio still did not seem to suspect our presence. The female stretched as she ceased leaning against the tree, standing back upright.

"Glad you could make it, Darkhan," the woman chuckled darkly, even more sinisterly than Darkhan's usual cackle. "I assume you know why you are here."

"More time," Darkhan suddenly blurted out with a fearful voice. This struck me a little bit. This was not the sort of tone I expected from someone as sadistic as Darkhan.

"You've had enough time," the female snapped at him with an agitated snarl. "We had a deal. You were to capture Azelf for his Lordship and dispose of anyone who got in your way. Yet, you have failed miserably."

"Not to mention the severe misuse of our Pokemon is something that his Lordship will punish you terribly for," Tyne smirked evilly.

"Wrong," Darkhan stammered a little, his throat apparently becoming dry.

"Oh, we're not wrong," the female grinned. "And to think that all this time, you were hiding an Articuno from us…"

"What!?" Darkhan exclaimed, as if not understanding how he had been foiled. "But…I… I…" he stuttered once more.

"You dare defy his Lordship?" Tyne stepped forward, withdrawing a sword similar to the one Darkhan used.

"I shall deal with this," the female intervened, holding a Poke Ball in her hand.

"Damn sake, Sabheen," Tyne huffed. "You get all the fun jobs."

"Now, first things first," the female who had now been called Sabheen smiled. "I would like you to hand me back my Dusclops… or rather my Dusknoir now that you made it evolve."

"Never!" Darkhan boomed defiantly, swinging his sword unleashing all six of his Pokemon… a Dusknoir, a Tangrowth, a Weezing, a Charizard and an Absol all appeared, not to mention of course the Articuno. Darkhan looked quite smug, with his six power packed Pokemon standing at his side. "Defend!" he grinned. His Articuno seemed to nod, but the other Pokemon looked almost blank. What was going on here?

"I highly doubt that the Pokemon will listen to YOU now that we are here," Sabheen smiled coldly. "Remember, we raised these Pokemon and we simply allowed you to borrow them for the cause. But rather than capture Azelf, you used them for your own personal revenge on that trainer that beat you." My ears pricked up at hearing this, before letting a small satisfied grin. "Tyne… I'm guessing you would like your Absol back?"

"Gladly," Tyne nodded. "Absol, come here." Darkhan stared at the Disaster Pokemon for a second. The Absol exchanged the look, before snorting and walking calmly to Tyne's side. It turned around and took an aggressive stance in front of the swordsman.

"Dusknoir, you still recognise me?" Sabheen almost whispered to the Ghost Type Pokemon. It floated eerily across to where the purple dressed female was stood, taking a position next to Tyne's Absol.

"No…" Darkhan pleaded. "Friends."

"Friends!?" Tyne almost burst out laughing. "Don't tell me you actually hold feelings for these Pokemon. You claimed to be the most ruthless Pokemon Hunter in existence!"

"Collector!" Darkhan angrily corrected Tyne.

"Come off it," Tyne chuckled. "Collector is just a less negative word for Hunter. We should have called upon Pokemon Hunter J. She has a far more impressive record than you. I don't know why his Lordship insisted on hiring you in the first place."

"Well, at least he shall get a Legendary Pokemon before the day is gone," Sabheen chuckled back. "We shall be taking that Articuno from you now."

"Flamethrower!" Darkhan ordered, calling to the Charizard. However, the Flying Fire Type did not obey.

"Charizard, return to us!" Tyne grinned. "In fact, Tangrowth and Weezing… return with us too." Immediately, the three Pokemon moved away from Darkhan and stood alongside the other Pokemon. Now, the five Pokemon originally in Darkhan's possession had now been confiscated back to their true owners. But just who were these people? And what did they want?

"Articuno…" Darkhan gasped, a little bit distraught. "Help…" the bird took a look at its trainer. Despite what it must have been feeling, it obediently took to the sky and hovered just a few feet above the swordsman.

"So… you think that you can win with that oversized budgie?" Tyne taunted.

"I suppose I'll let you handle this one," Sabheen shrugged, calling all the Pokemon other than the Absol into respective Poke Balls. Tyne called back his Absol into his own Poke Ball.

"His Lordship shall be most impressed when we present him with this Articuno… and I shall prove to you why I am the Master of Dark Type Pokemon, Darkhan," Tyne smirked. "And I've got just the Pokemon to do it…" With that, he launched the Poke Ball forward. What emerged from it was a huge brownish green monster with scales with the visual texture of rock. It was well over seven feet tall, it's tail swished menacingly.

"No Absol…" Darkhan began. "But… Disaster." For some reason, he still had a slight tone of tension in his voice, as he prepared to face off against Tyne's Tyranitar.

"Disaster for you, perhaps," Tyne smirked evilly. "This will be the last battle of your worthless life." The two swordsmen stared each other down. This was sure to be a huge battle that neither wanted to lose. But what kept on itching at me inside my head was this… just who are these people? Tyne and Sabheen. What do they want?

**TO BE CONTINUED**

_**NEXT TIME:** Darkhan literally begins the battle of his life against the strange Tyne. Will Jonathyn and Sandra allow this match to end? Or will someone else get in the way of things? You won't want to miss the next explosive chapter!_


	33. Chapter 33

_**Disclaimer:** Je ne ownez le Pokemon… translation; I don't own Pokemon, even with a poor grasp of the French language._

_MESSAGE TO READERS: **WARNING!** This chapter contains spoilers of Pokemon Diamond and Pearl episodes that have not yet been released outside of Japan. If you do not wish to find out what these spoilers are, then it is advised that you discontinue reading, or skip the section regarding Team Rocket, as that is where the spoiler mainly lies. So, other than that, go grab yourself a lemonade or something, kick back and enjoy!_

* * *

**THE LEAGUE OF CHAMPIONS**

**CHAPTER 33: GANG WARS! AN ALL OUT BRAWL!**

It was difficult to grasp what was actually going on. First there was a man who had attempted not only to end my dream of becoming the Pokemon League Champion, but end my life as well. On more than one occasion at that! This man, who had seemed so dark, so ruthless and so remorseless that it seemed he was beyond human. But to see him in the state he was currently in made my brain twitch the more I thought about it. Was he really that scared of these two people dressed in dark shades of purple? The male and female known as Tyne and Sabheen… Tyne apparently was a master of Dark Type Pokemon. This made sense not only due to his dress code, but the fact that he owns not only a pure Dark Type, Absol, but also a brutally powerful Tyranitar. I knew just how powerful Tyranitar are. Similarly to the likes of Metagross and Garchomp, they are considered as "Psuedo-Legendary" Pokemon, due to the fact that their strength rivals that of legendary Pokemon, such as the Articuno that Darkhan is using. Personally, I was not sure what he was so worked up about. Darkhan could quite easily win in just a couple of turns. With the combination of Mind Reader and Sheer Cold, it guarantees a knock out victory. However, as much as I despised the man, I could not help but wonder what the true intentions of his opponents were… I could not think for long, however. The battle was in it's starting stages.

"You don't understand what you are up against," Tyne taunted. "We do not raised different Pokemon with different types. We raise the same type of Pokemon and same breeds of Pokemon to cope with various situations." Darkhan tilted his head, apparently a little confused by Tyne's statement.

"Explain," Darkhan paused to absorb what the Dark Type Master was saying.

"I'll give you an example," Tyne smirked. "I own several Tyranitar, but have trained them specifically to deal with different types of opponents. Allow me to demonstrate. Tyranitar, Thunder Wave!" With that, a sudden aura of electricity surrounded Tyranitar's claws, before thrusting them forward. The Thunder Wave attack zapped across the battlefield towards the airborne Articuno. Sparks immediately surrounded the Legendary bird of ice, showing the signature signs of paralysis. Darkhan's jaw dropped a little, stunned that the Tyranitar not only knew an electrical attack, but was able to immobilise his Articuno in just one attack. "I know your Articuno can use Mind Reader and Sheer Cold, but as you can see I've prepared for that."

"Clever," Darkhan reluctantly admitted. "Blizzard!" he aggressively ordered. Despite the paralysis, the Articuno began to flap its wings rapidly. A freezing snowstorm blew across the area, covering the Tyranitar, along with Tyne and Sabheen as well. This caused a wide grin to appear on Darkhan's face.

"I see," Tyne smiled, almost enjoying what he was seeing. "Even with the paralysis, your Articuno is still able to whip up a powerful Blizzard attack. That is the kind of thing that pleases his Lordship. And all the more reason for me to bring it to him. Tyranitar, use Ancientpower." With a thunderous roar, the Tyranitar somehow summoned from beneath the ground several large boulders that somehow floated in the air as if they were balloons. A mysterious dark energy seemed to keep the giant rocks airborne, before suddenly hurling themselves towards the Articuno.

"Evade!" Darkhan called in near desperation. The Articuno tried to flap its wings to fly above the rocks, but the paralysis seemed to prevented it from using more energy than it was already using. The rocks smashed into the Legendary Pokemon, knocking it down to the ground.

"Heh heh," Tyne chuckled maliciously. "It doesn't matter whether it's legendary, it still has weaknesses. And I aim to exploit those weaknesses if I am to capture such a legendary creature."

"Awaken!" Darkhan ignored his taunt whilst addressing his Articuno. Although it was weak and suffering the after effects of the previous Thunder Wave, the Articuno amazingly managed to take to the skies once again, flying much higher than it had done before. This was truly astounding. I had definitely underestimated the powers of a Legendary Pokemon. Even after the damned thing froze me, I still held little respect for it. But seeing this determination made me think twice. "Mind Reader," Darkhan ordered. I knew exactly what was coming. The Articuno was able to focus on the Tyranitar, detecting its movements as it had done against Paul's Metagross.

"I knew this was coming," Tyne smirked. "Tyranitar, Ancientpower again!" It seemed to me as though Tyne was trying to end this quickly, as if to prevent the imminent Sheer Cold attack that Darkhan was bound to use next. Another barrage of rocks flew towards the Articuno.

"Evade!" Darkhan's voice boomed once more. This time, the Articuno slowed down the speed that it beat its wings. As a result, it lowered itself beneath the airborne stones. They crashed into a nearby tree, snapping it in half like a tree. I noticed a small rampage of Stantler scurrying away from the destruction. "Sheer Cold!" Darkhan grinned. The Articuno began to charge the fatal attack.

"That won't work against us," Tyne grinned. "Protect now!" The Tyranitar stood completely still, as a strange aura covered its body in a similar way to my Aggron when it used the same move. The Articuno nonetheless unleashed the devastating attack, yet the Tyranitar took the full blow but was completely unscathed. Darkhan's heart seemed to sink before our very eyes as the attack failed. The Tyranitar stood proudly, having resisted the Sheer Cold attack. Meanwhile, Sandra and I along with Nurse Joy and Misty continued to watch the unfolding battle with awe.

"Looks like Darkhan is well and truly top trumped by that guy," Misty whispered into my ear.

"He's still got a trick up his sleeve somewhere, though," Sandra remarked, with a frustrated look in her eyes.

"Is it worth us staying?" Nurse Joy asked quietly. "If we get seen, who knows what they will do to us. You heard him say that this would be Darkhan's last battle… do you think he means that…"

"No one deserves that fate," I growled a little. "Not even Darkhan… although something of a slightly less extreme would be suitable."

"That's just sour grapes," Misty sighed.

"The guy tried to kill me twice, damn it!" I snarled. Sandra was quick to silence me. Fortunately, Tyne and Darkhan were too involved in their battle to notice our misunderstanding.

"Keep your voice down," Nurse Joy pleaded. "If they hear us, we're goners!"

"You can say that again," a female voice came from nearby. We couldn't figure out who it was at first, until suddenly the woman known as Sabheen suddenly lowered herself from the trees above us right in front of where we were hidden. She did not climb down, but rather float down as if on a cushion of air. How she managed this feat was beyond my understanding, but I had no time to worry about that right now.

"What do you intend to do when this battle is over?" Sandra stood up, although shaking a little with fear.

"Why, that depends now doesn't it?" Sabheen replied with a sneer. "We could dispose of Darkhan first, or we could make sure that you never see the light of day ever again."

"Over my dead body!" I snarled, arming myself with a Poke Ball.

"It's your funeral," Sabheen grinned. "Banette, Disable these fools until we find a suitable way to dispose of them." From quite literally nowhere, a small plush-toy like Ghost appeared. It looked very similar to the one owned by Harley, being the same type of Pokemon. I felt a strange sensation flow through my body. My joints began to stiffen. I tried to get away, but was quite literally stuck. Despite the fact that I could not move my lips, I was still able to speak… albeit rather poorly.

"Wha are we gohha goo?" I gabbled strangely.

"Wha you say?" Misty tried to reply, failing miserably.

"Shut up," Sabheen snapped. "You're not going anywhere until we've settled with Darkhan. And just to make sure you don't try anything crafty, I'll have my Banette keep a sharp eye on you." She gave the four of us a sly smirk, before turning back to face the battle. "Will you hurry up, Tyne?" she whined. "I tire of this so-called entertainment."

"Ah, put a sock in it," Tyne snarled back. "I'm almost done. Tyranitar, wrap it up with Hyper Beam." I could not see what was happening behind me, as I was now frozen, although not quite so literally this time. However, I was perfectly capable of hearing the commotion. An explosion rocked the area around us. Somehow, I was able to feel the vigorous vibrations through the ground. Unlike before, I still had all of my senses… but I simply could not move. I tried to think back to what Anabel had told me. Perhaps I could use the sort of psychic power I had used when frozen… but since there were both Ghost and Dark Types all around me, I decided against that plan. "A valiant effort to the end," Tyne remarked. "But it is too little too late. Tyranitar, maximum power Hyper Beam!"

"Cease!" I heard Darkhan cry out, his voice filled with dread. "Surrender…" he added with a much more defeated tone. The Tyranitar was already charging the deadly attack.

"Tyranitar, stop," Tyne ordered. Within seconds, the Hyper Beam faded from a potentially lethal blast into a puff of smoke which wafted over my eyes, causing tears to form. All fell silent for a moment.

"So, you've finally except your fate?" Tyne chuckled with evil intent.

"No…" Darkhan sneered back. "Talk with sword…" I suddenly heard the sound of metal clashing with metal. I recalled seeing Tyne have a sword similar to Darkhan's. They were obviously now fighting each other physically rather than using Pokemon, despite the fact I could still detect the presence of the Articuno, due to the fact a sudden chill was running down my arm, which was twitching with numbness… suddenly, I noticed… I could move my arm. The effects of the Banette's Disable was wearing off on me somewhat faster than Nurse Joy, Misty and Sandra. I slid my eyes to look at the Banette, who seemed far more intrigued by the sword fight rather than my ability to move again. I managed to stand back upright, turning my head cautiously to prevent the Banette from noticing. With that, I withdrew a Poke Ball from my pocket and crept back, away from the others.

"Aggron, I need your assistance," I whispered, slowly opening the Poke Ball. Aggron suddenly appeared and was about to roar, but I stopped it by displaying my finger pressed against my lip. It fell suddenly silent. "Aggron, I need you to take out that Banette using your Shock Wave from behind this tree to avoid being detected," I revealed my idea to it. It nodded approvingly. "When I give you the signal, use Shock Wave on the Banette. But be discreet!" With that, I snuck back over to the others and tried to position myself in the same way that I had done before. I then nodded to Aggron, which fired a sudden spark of electricity from its horn, striking the Banette with dead on accuracy! I let out a grin, as the Banette screeched in pain. It looked around, completely bewildered as to where the attack had come from. I couldn't help but let out a small, yet quiet laugh. The Banette turned its back once again, allowing me to signal to Aggron, who was peering from behind a nearby tree. It sent out another Shock Wave, striking the Ghost Pokemon for a second time.

"What's going on?" I heard Sabheen growl, noticing Banette's distress. I could not see whether or not she was approaching us, but what I could see was Nurse Joy's Chansey standing upright, ready to attack. It curled up into a ball and suddenly hurled itself towards the Banette, striking it with great power. I also noticed Sandra had also managed to escape the Disable's effects. She had armed herself with a Poke Ball, throwing it forward. What emerged was a large dragon with an oval blue body and large orange wings. The Salamence looked mightily impressive, spreading its wings wide. The Chansey continued to use Rollout against the Banette. Eventually, I could not maintain my stance any longer, standing with both feet on the floor.

"Salamence, use Hyper Beam!" Sandra called. The Salemence began to charge the powerful attack.

"Tyranitar, Hyper Beam as well!" Tyne shouted, ducking a swipe from Darkhan. Both attacks from the Pseudo Legendary Pokemon fired simultaneously, colliding in mid air. This caused a monumentous explosion, literally knocking everyone off their feet. Misty, who was still feeling the effects of the Disable landed on top of me. She eventually managed to pick herself off, still a little stiff.

"What have we here then?" Tyne remarked, getting up to his feet. "Some gatecrashers? Sorry, but this is a private party."

"We'll just have to stop the music, then!" I grinned. "Aggron, use Metal Burst!" The Steel Pokemon walked over to me, still reeling from the resulting explosion, before firing the Metal Burst attack at the Tyranitar and Banette. Both Pokemon were sent hurling back, but skidded to a stop. The Tyranitar looked a little shaken by the attack, but was somehow still standing…

"Listen is that a bunch of nobodies I hear?" came a female voice from somewhere.

"They're moaning to me, loud and clear," a familiar male voice called out.

"On the…"

"Hyper Beam!" Sandra grinned, pointing to the sky, where a large Meowth shaped hot air balloon was floating high above us. The Salamence took flight, soaring towards the Balloon. It launched its Hyper Beam, which rocketed at a great velocity towards it.

"How dare you interrupt the Team Rocket Motto!" Jessie snarled. "This'll teach you! Meowth, hit the button!"

"Roger!" the Meowth cheekily jumped up, slamming its paw down onto some sort of console. In an instant, a strange satellite dish appeared. The Hyper Beam of the Salamence struck it, but seemed to do nothing. In fact, the entire beam vanished. I then noticed the dish begin to glow, before launching the Hyper Beam right back at the sender. The Salamence was struck dead on, falling back down towards the ground.

"Use Fly to stop your fall!" Sandra called out. With a sudden flap of its huge wings, the Salamence managed to recover from its plummet and began to head straight for the balloon again.

"I don't think so," Jessie smirked. "Come on out!" she shouted, throwing a Poke Ball. What emerged from it was a menacing looking insect that almost resembled a dragonfly. It's eyes were red and bulbous, it's long, skinny green body was supported by four long, delicate wings.

"What the heck is that?" I gasped.

"Yanmega," Misty replied. "It evolves from Yanma after it learns the move Ancientpower. It's a powerful Bug Type Pokemon."

"Looks pretty tough," I thought aloud. "But never mind. My Aggron and Sandra's Salamence can take it."

"Don't forget I've got Chansey too," Nurse Joy smiled, her Chansey seemed to be pretty excited about the prospect of a battle.

"What makes you think you can defeat us both?" Sabheen scowled. "And you three," she indicated to Team Rocket. "What is your business here?"

"We're here for one reason only," James smirked. "We're here to scoop up this Pokemon Bonanza!"

"Meowth, that's right!" the Scratch Cat Pokemon declared. "Let's get this show on the road. Get' em Jessie!"

"Yanmega, use Steel Wing on the Tyranitar!" Jessie ordered. The giant insect buzzed towards the Dark Rock Type, it's wings filling with silver in the same way that my Pelipper does. It struck the Tyranitar with brutal force, surprising for a Bug Type, which are usually quite weak against Rock Types especially with its dual disadvantage being both Bug and Flying Types.

"Banette, use Thunder on that bug!" Sabheen bellowed. The Banette began to charge some electrical power.

"Chansey, Rollout on Banette," Nurse Joy ordered. Once again, the Chansey curled up and began rolling straight at the Ghost, slamming into it before the electrical attack could be fired.

"Who should we attack?" I frowned to Sandra. "Team Rocket want to steal our Pokemon, yet the other two more than likely want us dead."

"Just attack!" Sandra scowled. "Salamence, Steel Wing on Tyranitar."

"Is this a Steel Wing convention or something?" Tyne snarled. "Protect!" The Tyranitar obeyed, the Steel Type attack literally bouncing off the giant Pseudo Legendary.

"Protect only works for one round," I grinned. "And Steel Type attacks do plenty of damage to a Rock Type. Aggron, Iron Head!" Aggron charged forward, ready to slam into the Tyranitar.

"Supersonic!" Jessie shouted. With a huge flag from its wings, the Yanmega produced a blade of sound energy, striking Aggron just before the attack connected to the Tyranitar. Aggron got back up to its feet, but looked dazed and confused.

"Chansey, Psychic on the Yanmega!" Nurse Joy shouted. The Chansey focused on the Yanmega and its eyes began to glow a pale shade of blue.

"Quickly use Supersonic!" Jessie instructed. Another buzzing blade of energy shot down from above, striking the Chansey before its Psychic attack could take a firm hold. It immediately began to look dazed and confused. Chansey suddenly curled up once again and began to use Rollout, but it struck Aggron in its confused state.

"They're both beyond our control," Nurse Joy whined.

"Don't worry, I've got this covered," I smirked. "Aggron, use Shock Wave on Yanmega." Still dazed from being hit by Chansey's Rollout, my Aggron charged up the electric attack and shot it skyward. At long last, the Bug Pokemon was struck, but it did not seem to do much. "What the heck?" I gasped, as the Bug Pokemon suddenly fired a spherical rock-like ball towards the ground, taking out all the Pokemon battling from the ground.

"It used Ancientpower not only to block the Shock Wave, but also to take out the other Pokemon," Sandra snarled. "Good strategy, but Salamence can take it down. Use Fly!" The Dragon Pokemon shot up towards the malicious insect.

"Now!" James punched the air, as the Meowth pressed another button. From the satellite dish already deployed, as large net spread itself over the Dragon.

"We bagged ourselves a big bad dragon!" Meowth cooed with delight. "Now for the others."

"Salamence, Dragon Claw!" Sandra called in hope that the attack would free it from the net. However, as soon as the claws touched the net, a large electric glow filled the net, shocking the powerful Dragon Type into submission.

"Not going to work," James tutted. "Now for the grand finale."

"Fire at will, Meowth," Jessie smirked.

"Which one of them is called Will?" Meowth joked. The human duo suddenly dropped down in the basket, their legs in the air. To be fair, that was an awful joke. Jessie got back to her feet and appeared to try and strangle the Meowth, which retaliated by baring its long claws and slashing her across her face. I could hear Jessie screech in pain, as her Yanmega flew over to her, landing on top of her long red hair. It glared at the Meowth, which looked rather intimidated by the Bug Type.

"Enough horsing around," James snapped. "Let's poach these Pokemon and get going."

"Good idea," the Meowth nodded, pressing another button on his console. Another stream of nets flew from the balloon, covering the Tyranitar, Chansey and Aggron. The Banette however simply passed itself through the side of the net. Team Rocket apparently did not notice this.

"What are we going to do?" Nurse Joy shrieked.

"Pelipper, come on out!" I called. The Pelican Pokemon appeared in front of me, stretching its wings out.

"A Pelipper?" Tyne chuckled. "My, my… Otordan would be proud."

"Otordan?" I questioned.

"Never mind," Sabheen scowled, giving Tyne a stern look. "The only way we'll get them back is if we work together," she told me, apparently disgusted at this idea.

"I guess there's no choice," I frowned. "I'll take care of the Yanmega. You have your Banette set the Pokemon free." Sabheen gave me a stern look similar to the one she gave to Tyne.

"You do not tell me what to do," Sabheen snarled. "Let me make that absolutely clear."

"Fine, then you deal with the Yanmega," I snapped back.

"Guys, this is going nowhere," Misty sighed. "They're getting away," she added, pointing up to the balloon, which was rising higher and higher into the sky.

"Damn it," I scowled. "Pelipper, use Steel Wing on the balloon!" Pelipper cawed out its name, before flying in the direction of the balloon.

"Yanmega, go!" Jessie grinned. The giant dragonfly shaped Pokemon took off from Jessie's head, flying straight towards Pelipper. "Steel Wing," she ordered. As both attacks approached one another, it reminded me of the same situation that had occurred with Sandra's Flygon in the last round of the Pokemon League.

"Be strong, Pelipper," I encouraged it.

"But my Yanmega is stronger," Jessie smirked. As both attacks landed, it was Pelipper who took more damage. The Bug Type triumphantly stared at the opponent.

"Banette, Will O Wisp!" Sabheen ordered. Several small orbs of blue flame surrounded the Ghost Pokemon, before it threw them towards the Yanmega.

"Supersonic that thing!" Jessie demanded. It obliged with another one of the sound based attacks. It rushed towards the Banette and managed to hit it, although the effects of confusion were not visually apparent.

"You're a fool," Sabheen laughed. "Normal moves do nothing against my Ghosts." She seemed to be even more content as the blue flames engulfed the Yanmega. It let out an agonising buzz, yet it still maintained flight.

"Ancientpower," Jessie scowled, the Bug Pokemon launched another one of its Rock Type attacks, this time at Banette. Surprisingly, the attack struck the Banette with such force that it knocked it out completely. "Bullseye! A critical hit!" Jessie whooped happily.

"Let's get outta here before we get busted!" Meowth scorned.

"I'm with you on that one," James nodded. "Carnivine, cover us with a Bullet Seed attack." He threw the Poke Ball forward, yet the Flycatcher Pokemon appeared behind its trainer, chomping down on his head. "Quit it, I'm not on the menu!" James cried out. The Grass Type released its trainer, before spitting a flurry of seeds from its mouth towards Pelipper. It struck with powerful force, knocking Pelipper out of the sky and crashing down to the ground in front of us.

"Roost, Pelipper," I said whilst checking its health. It still had enough strength remaining to recover. As it did so, I knew that we would have to formulate another plan, otherwise our Pokemon would be gone for good. I looked around, before suddenly noticing something was missing… Darkhan and his Articuno had vanished…

**TO BE CONTINUED**

_**NEXT TIME:** The battle rages on as Jonathyn, Sandra and Tyne must unite to save their Pokemon from the clutches of the villainous Team Rocket. And where has Darkhan suddenly disappeared to?_


	34. Chapter 34

_**DISCLAIMER:** To be perfectly honest, I don't know why I have to keep on putting these stupid disclaimers on my chapters. But I suppose I don't want to get arrested, so with that in mind I should inform you that I do not own Pokemon._

_MESSAGE TO READERS: WARNING! This chapter contains spoilers of Pokemon Diamond and Pearl episodes that have not yet been released outside of Japan. If you do not wish to find out what these spoilers are, then it is advised that you discontinue reading, or skip the section regarding Team Rocket, as that is where the spoiler mainly lies._

_Apologies for those who have been waiting so long for an update. I've been on holiday (Corfu… very nice place…) and I've been planning future chapters before I get too highly involved in this one. But it is complete now, at least! So, other than that, go grab yourself a lemonade or something, kick back and enjoy!_

* * *

**THE LEAGUE OF CHAMPIONS**

**CHAPTER 34: REMORSELESS ROCKET GANG! THE IDENTITY OF THE DUO!**

The events of the last couple of days were truly beginning to have an effect on me. I had endured some things that no man should in his lifetime in a matter of a week or so. From being in the midst of a battle to save a Legendary Pokemon, then being frozen by another… I could continue building this list, but I knew that I had to focus on the matter in hand. This trio of criminals; Jessie, James and the talking Meowth were just a grain of Team Rocket sugar. Who knows how many other Rockets would be prowling around the Pokemon League Tournament, ready to steal other people's Pokemon as well? From the impression I got from these three, they were actually idiots. But somehow, their plots had turned effective. Misty had privately told me how much of a nuisance they were throughout her journeys through Kanto and Johto. And she told me then that they were bumbling fools. However, they all seemed to have taken a sudden turn. They were acting much more viciously and aggressively than Misty had described. Not to mention that Jessie's Yanmega looked nay-upon impossible to get past. But I would have to if we stood any sort of chance of recovering our stolen Pokemon.

"How do we get past it?" Nurse Joy moaned.

"It's biggest weakness is against Rock Types," Sandra frowned. "And I don't have any Pokemon that know Rock Type moves."

"Tyranitar would have been able to take it down with ease," Tyne also let out a frustrated grunt. "But it can't do much in that net, can it?"

"Well, it's got to be weak against something else," I scowled. "Pelipper doesn't know any damaging Flying Type moves. Even Steel Wing doesn't do as much as it could do."

"So then what do you suggest?" Misty shrugged.

"Pelipper can fend off Yanmega for the moment, but not with that Carnivine attacking at the same time," I pondered.

"I could have Flygon come out and help," Sandra suggested. I took note of the idea, but before I could give a positive response, the Yanmega headed straight for us. Pelipper, who had now finished Roosting quickly took to the air. The Yanmega quickly launched an rock-like orb straight at Pelipper, which did not require instruction to evade.

"We need to take that Yanmega out now!" I cried out. "Use Hydro Pump!" Pelipper seemed to summon from deep inside its body a huge torrent of water, perhaps the biggest I had seen it use so far! The water struck the Yanmega hard, knocking it out of the sky and down to the ground. "Now is your chance!" I nodded to Sandra, who gleamed at the prospect of getting back at the Team Rocket trio.

"Flygon, use Steel Wing on the balloon!" Sandra yelled, throwing the Poke Ball skywards. The Dragon Pokemon shot up like a missile towards the floating balloon, but was met by the Carnivine, which was somehow hovering in mid air. It's gaping mouth snapped shut across the Flygon's torso. I could hear it cry out as the Grass Type's barb-like teeth sank deep into it. "Flygon, use Dragonbreath on it!" Sandra desperately called. Using its long neck to pivot its head, it fired a hot stream of breath at the Carnivine. Despite the fact that it connected, the attack almost dispersed across its dome shaped head deflecting some of the power back at the Flygon, which caused it even more pain. Despite this, the Carnivine did release its Bite attack, moving away before firing a Bullet Seed attack under the instruction of James.

"Full power!" James aggressively called, his blue hair waving in the breeze. The barrage of seeds seemed to fire even faster than before, striking Flygon with more force than one would expect.

"Pelipper, use Aerial Ace!" I called, knowing that a super effective attack could be the perfect way to pick out an opening in our attack strategy. Pelipper darted at the already attacking Carnivine, slamming as hard as it could into the Flycatcher Pokemon causing to cease the Bullet Seed attack. This was Flygon's chance!

"Dragonbreath!" Sandra shouted, as the Dragon spat another stream of dragonesque flame at the balloon. Rather than spread across the surface, the attack seemed to head straight for the Rockets themselves! They quickly ducked out of the way, their hair inches away from being singed. Amazingly, the balloon seemed to rise even higher. We all seemed completely stunned by this, until we could hear the Meowth laugh mockingly.

"That Flygon really is full of hot air!" it joked menacingly. "Would you two hurry up and finish them off?" it added, now sounding more serious.

"With pleasure," Jessie smirked. "Yanmega, Sonicboom!" The Bug took off once more and with several huge flaps of its thin wings, blades of air cut through the sky and rained down at us. I could see Aggron and Salamence up above desperately trying to free themselves. But the electrified net held them back. I could hardly believe that these trio of menaces were going to get away with this…

"What do you think?" Sabheen almost whispered to Tyne. I looked back to see his reaction, which seemed to be one of disgust.

"They were the ones who allowed Darkhan to escape," he sneered. "There's no reason why we should help them."

"If you won't, then I will," Sabheen sneered. "There's only one group of bad guys in this show and it certainly isn't them!" With that, Sabheen launched a Poke Ball forward. What emerged from it was a dark purple Pokemon. It was a stocky creature, with a large circular body, but its legs and arms were proportionally a lot shorter. It had a wide, sinister grin on its face beneath a pair of evil red eyes. "Shadow Sneak!" Sabheen darkly murmered. With that, the Ghost Pokemon slowly began to rise into the air without moving a muscle, before flattening itself into a disc of some sort, before floating up to the balloon. The Rockets inside let out a scream as the Gengar materialised in front of it. "Now Shadow Ball!" the Ghost Type Trainer murmered once again. How her Gengar heard her I didn't know. But nonetheless, it formed a sphere of dark energy in its hands and threw it at the basket, exploding on impact. The Rockets were sent flying from the basket and down to the ground. The fall seemed to be fatal, but to my amazement the trio got back up to their feet without so much as a scratch on them!

"How did they survive that!?" I gasped. But what concerned me more was that the captured Pokemon had not yet landed. It wasn't until I looked up and saw that the Gengar had the net grasped it in its hands, the electric barrier disabled from the explosion. It's strength was incredible to support the weight of a Salamence, an Aggron, a Tyranitar and a Chansey! With surprising delicacy, the Gengar rested the net on the ground, opening the net to allow the Pokemon to escape. Salamence quickly returned to Sandra's side, its trainer wrapping its arms happily around its neck. Aggron charged over towards me, as Pelipper landed next to me. Nurse Joy was equally delighted as her Chansey made its way over to the Pokemon Nurse. We then all focused our attention on the criminals known as Team Rocket. The Yanmega and Carnivine seemed battle ready, yet their trainers seemed petrified to be facing such a wide array of powerful Pokemon.

"Let's get outta here!" Meowth shrieked.

"Mean Look!" Sabheen slyly grinned. Her Gengar's eyes began to glow a deep crimson colour, literally stopping the foes dead. "Now you'll face the punishment that awaits you!" she grinned.

"I doubt that!" James smirked.

"What is that meant to mean?" Tyne glared at the blue haired Rocket.

"You'll see soon enough, but seeing as we're stuck here we might as well wait it out a little," Jessie shrugged, taking a seat on the floor. They even called back Yanmega and Carnivine for some unknown reason. I gave them a curious look. They were most certainly up to something, but I didn't know what.

"You three have been nothing but trouble ever since we got here!" Misty growled. "Why don't you just leave us alone?"

"Now, now," Jessie smiled far from sweetly. "Don't you worry that pretty red head of yours. All will be revealed."

"Talk!" I snapped. "If you don't, I'm sure Aggron will have something to say about it!" Aggron took a threatening pace forward, growling even more than I was. The Rockets simply remained still and closed their eyes. They seemed to be chuckling to themselves.

"Mind Games won't work against us, Team Rocket!" Sandra frowned. "Just tell us what you are doing!"

"Temper temper," James taunted. I could hear something faint in the distance. It sounded like twigs snapping. It wasn't until the noise began to get louder that I noticed the ground was beginning to shake. I could see tall trees in the distance falling with ease. I quickly grabbed Aggron's Poke Ball along with Pelipper's.

"Return now!" I quickly called, knowing that we were all about to be in serious danger. Team Rocket looked incredibly smug, grinning with content. Everyone else also called back their Pokemon, with the exception of Tyne and Sabheen, whose Tyranitar and Gengar remained in place. We quickly scurried to safety behind some nearby rocks, peering over to where Sabheen and Tyne were still stood. From the forest, a large machine bore through the woodland, stopping just behind Team Rocket. It looked almost like a giant mechanised Meowth of some sort. The Rocket Trio quickly entered their machine, disappearing into the mechanical interior. We could hear them laughing over a set of speakers. Sabheen and Tyne both looked highly unimpressed. But from where I was, I was filled with awe and fear.

"Either you get out of our way or we'll squash you like the insects that you are!" Jessie threatened, her voice echoing from the speakers built into the machine's design. Tyne and Sabheen simply looked at each other and chuckled to themselves a little. I could hear three distinct scowls coming from inside the cockpit of the machine. "Fine, you asked for it," Jessie snarled, as the mecha's foot raised up and slammed down with a mighty thud. A cloud of dust blew across the area, causing myself, Misty, Nurse Joy and Sandra to cover our eyes. When the cloud had finally dispersed, we were in for a shock. Rather than being crushed, the foot of the mecha had been stopped by the Tyranitar, which had a ferociously aggressive look it its eye. With a mighty throw, it sent Team Rocket's machine to the ground with a thunderous crash that caused the ground to shake as shockwaves rippled through it. Slowly, the machine got back up to its feet with a mechanical hiss as the Gengar floated towards it.

"You can't win, Rockets," Tyne chuckled. "Tyranitar and Gengar have you totally outclassed."

"Not for long," Meowth giggled craftily. "James, prepare the Rocket Cannon."

"That doesn't sound good," I murmured, as the mecha held out the palms of its hand to face the two specialist trainers. Two circular discs slid open in the hands, before two cannon like protrusions slowly emerged. I considered running a mile, but it seemed strange how Gengar and Tyranitar did not seem at all intimidated. A strange blue glow began to emanate at the tips of the cannons.

"You've got to get out of there!" Nurse Joy shouted.

"Not a chance," Sabheen grinned. "Gengar, why don't you put an end to this ridiculous charade?" The Gengar made its move, passing through the thick steel shell of the mecha. There was a brief pause, before we could hear all sorts of bangs and explosions coming from inside. There was another glow, this time coming through slits in the shell. We all took cover as the mecha detonated, a huge fireball engulfing the area where the mecha once stood. From nowhere, the Gengar reappeared beside Sabheen. Three small specks could be seen in the sky, where Team Rocket had apparently "blasted off again". Cautiously, we approached the duo who had now suddenly turned to face us.

"Now that that little problem is out of the way," Tyne began, "what business is it of yours to interfere with our own?"

"We were after Darkhan," I explained. "He seems to have some sort of grudge against me and I wanted to settle it."

"And I have history with the bastard as well," Sandra added with an angered scowl. Sabheen raised an eyebrow at her, as if trying to remember something.

"Don't I know you from somewhere?" Sabheen queried. "Yes… a long time ago. Silph Co."

"Silph Co?" she frowned. "What does that have to do with anything?"

"Yes, of course! That would be why Gordon wanted Darkhan removed in the first place!" Tyne snapped his fingers in conclusion.

"Tyne!" Sabheen groaned. "We shouldn't be discussing this."

"Now hold on," Sandra took a pace forward to confront the duo. "Gordon was my father's name… and he worked for Silph Co. And you just said that he wanted Darkhan removed. But Darkhan killed my father years ago. What are you hiding from me?" Sandra angrily demanded, arming herself with a Poke Ball.

"That information is classified," Sabheen brushed of the threat idly. "And besides, His Lordship does not want the world to know any of our operations until the time is right."

"Well you've done a great job of keeping it secret so far," I replied sarcastically.

"Tyne… if we let Darkhan get away then he will have our guts for garters. You realise that," Sabheen said sternly to her comrade.

"How about we make you a deal," Sandra smiled a little. "We'll help you get Darkhan if you tell us EXACTLY what is going on."

"We do not listen to the voice of reason," Tyne sneered.

"Darkhan has more than likely already gone through Viridian by now, maybe even Pewter," Sabheen scowled to him. "He knows that we are here, so he's probably ran off."

"Darkhan is crafty," Sandra said. "He may stay here, thinking that you would expect him to flee."

"Reverse psychology?" I tilted my head. "Is he clever enough to do that?"

"He might not be clever when it comes to words," Sandra stated, "but his cunningness knows no limit. We will stay here and search for Darkhan. There may be chance that he will come back to face Jonathyn anyway. And even if we don't get to him first then Officer Jenny might do."

"NO!" Tyne boomed, making us jump a little. "We must seize him ourselves. He is no good to us behind prison bars."

"Then what do you want us to do? Keep him on the streets until you get back?" I snarled, getting frustrated more and more.

"Just do what you have to," Tyne sighed. "Shouldn't we authorise this?"

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"I was talking to Sabheen," Tyne snorted, turning to face his colleague. "We should inform His Lordship of our new allegiance."

"Perhaps some things are best left unsaid," Sabheen shrugged.

"You know his eyes are watching," Tyne retaliated. "We need to let him know otherwise he'll definitely have our 'guts for garters' as you affectionately put it." Sabheen let out a small scowl, apparently confused by the predicament that they had now been put in.

"Fine… I'll call him now," Sabheen finally conceded, withdrawing a cell phone from her pocket and placing a small headset into her ear, a small microphone device hung by her mouth. She turned away from us as if trying to hide what she was saying.

"So, what's the deal with you two?" Misty stepped forward, apparently eager to learn about the two strangers.

"We are a part of a group of trainers that each specialises in different Pokemon Types," Tyne explained briefly. "I specialise in Dark Type Pokemon, whereas Sabheen is a master of Ghost Type Pokemon."

"Interesting," Sandra pondered for a moment. "There's seventeen different Pokemon Types… so that must mean there are a total of seventeen trainers."

"Quick thinking," Tyne nodded, almost taken aback at the speed of Sandra's deductions.

"Wait… so how does that affect your relationship with Darkhan?" I asked. "I mean, he uses all sorts of different Pokemon."

"His Lordship hired Darkhan to find him some exclusive Pokemon for him," Tyne continued. "Why am I even telling you this? This information is meant to be classified."

"Do you want our help or not?" I sneered at him. Tyne let out a small chuckle.

"We don't NEED help from anyone," Tyne smirked.

"Well if you're so high and mighty why did 'His Lordship' hire Darkhan to do his bidding?" I questioned. "Why did he not send someone from your group?"

"Do not question the actions of His Lordship!" Tyne scolded. "Whatever he has planned, you can be sure that it will change the world we live in as we know it."

"For better or for worse?" Nurse Joy shuddered a little, contemplating what truth was behind this plan.

"How should I know?" Tyne shrugged his shoulders. "None of us know the reason why his Lordship wishes to capture specific Pokemon. Not even the highest ranked member knows the full story."

"And who might that be?" Sandra asked aggressively.

"I can answer that, my dear," a deep voice whispered from the darkness. We looked around, trying to find the owner of the voice. A silhouette appeared in the moonlight directly opposite the opening created from Team Rocket's mechanical abomination. It was not that of a human. Rather that of a large monster of some sort. Obviously a Pokemon. It took a giant step forward, yet it landed on the floor delicately whereas I was expecting the earth to move. As the moonlight began to shine over the creature, I could see that it was an abnormally huge Pokemon. It must have stood well over twelve feet in height, with a pair of rather small orange wings, which matched the colour of its skin. It's underbelly and muzzle was a creamier colour, however. A smaller figure leapt down from the monster's head, landing on its feet in a crouching position, before returning to a vertical base.

"Master Gordon!" Tyne said in amazement, almost gob smacked at this man's presence. Even Sabheen turned around, her eyes widening in apparent fear.

"Hello Sandra," the man snickered almost diabolically. I took a quick look at the Dragon Trainer, who seemed to be taken the most by surprised. "From the expression on your face, I would say that I am the last person you would expect to see here today," he grinned with an almost evil sincerity. I gave Sandra another strange look, before turning back to the man. I didn't know what it was about the man, but he seemed to bear a striking resemblance to Sandra. Another interesting thing was that the gargantuan Dragonite stood behind would be something I'd have expected Sandra to have in her possession. That's when it struck me…

"Sandra…" I began to ask. "Is that your…"

"It can't be!" Sandra stammered in disbelief. "My eyes must be deceiving me… Father… is it really you!?"

**TO BE CONTINUED**

_**NEXT TIME:** More is revealed about the mysterious group of trainers. And has Sandra finally crossed paths with her long lost father? Or is he a doppelganger of some kind? And what does he want here?_


	35. Chapter 35

_**DISCLAIMER:** Damn copyright infringement… it's not as if any of us are making a profit from their characters… but just to keep them happy, I do not own Pokemon!_

_MESSAGE TO READERS: Back in full form at last. I have to say I am deeply proud of this chapter as it finally brings some home truths and new twists into the story. I am thinking about doing a spin-off story, but perhaps when things are a little more established here first. All the spoilers are over as well regarding the anime for now, so keep on reading to your hearts content! So go grab a lemonade or something, kick back and enjoy!_

* * *

**THE LEAGUE OF CHAMPIONS**

**CHAPTER 35: BLISSFUL WISH ENRICHED BY CHAOS! SQUADRON SEVENTEEN!**

No one seemed to want to break the awkward silence that had suddenly filled the clearing. It just seemed to be one twist after the other. We had only just learned the bare minimum about these two strangers, Tyne and Sabheen along with their connection to that bastard, Darkhan. Although we had yet to fully come to terms on our bargain, my mind was mixing itself up with my own goals and what was currently happening. The much older man stood tall and proud, just as his Dragonite was, although the Dragon Pokemon was quite literally over double the man's height. His attire was vaguely similar to that of his underlings, although his clothes were a shade of purple or vivid blue. A colour that apparently was associated with the Dragon Type, from what I could gather. The exceptions to this were a pair of jet black boots and a matching set of gauntlets over his hands. His hair, however was the most distinctively similar feature to Sandra. A shiny green colour with a hint of purple. Strangely, this hairstyle seemed to suit the man yet not in a stereotypical kind of way. Sandra seemed to be pinching herself, apparently denying reality.

"This isn't happening," Sandra whimpered with a voice of mixed feelings of delight and despair, her emotions apparently going wild. "Is it really you? Please tell me it's true!" I noticed a tear roll down the side of her cheek before dripping to the ground below.

"You can be the judge of that," the man grinned. "Does your memory serve you as well as you would like it to? If it does, then you can answer the question yourself."

"I…" Sandra stammered, overcome by emotion. "I've missed you so much!"

"Yes," Gordon seemed to stick his nose up at his daughter. "Status report," he faced Sabheen as he spoke, who was still seemingly frozen still by his mere presence. Tyne quickly gave her a quick nudge, snapping her out of her daydream.

"Uh… well, Master Gordon," Sabheen trembled, apparently not wanted her superior to know about their recent failure. "We did indeed confront Darkhan and reclaim the Pokemon that he had borrowed. Unfortunately we were interrupted by a division of the Team Rocket group."

"A small obstacle like Team Rocket should not interfere with your assignment," Gordon bellowed, apparently outraged at their failed mission. "So you're saying that the contractor has fled?"

"Well…" Sabheen shook, fearing for her well being. "He has… I mean, he hasn't as such, but it's just… it's just that we… we can't…"

"You didn't answer my question, Sabheen!" Gordon roared once again, causing Sabheen to flinch slightly. For someone who had seemed so serious and sinister beforehand now fearing her life, it made me wonder whether or not Tyne and Sabheen were just all talk, or whether Gordon was the real deal. Sabheen was shaking so much now that she could not say a word, thus enraging Gordon even more. "ANSWER ME!" Gordon boomed at the very top of his voice, his echo scaring a wild flock of Pidgey and Pidgeotto from the scene in a scramble in the midnight sky.

"N…n…no, sir… I mean yes, sir!" Sabheen squeaked, searching for some sort of remorse from her superior, who looked down on her extremely disapprovingly.

"And what say you, Tyne?" Gordon snarled, kicking some dirt in Sabheen cowering direction. Tyne, who seemed much more relaxed than Sabheen at the moment simply unfolded his arms. I didn't realise that his Tyranitar was still out of its Poke Ball, or whether or not he had summoned it forth once again. Things were happening so quickly that I couldn't remember one moment from the next.

"You think we have failed, yet our mission is not yet completed," Tyne said with a remarkably relaxed tone. "No one specified that we capture the man on the first attempt. And I see no deadline for our mission." Gordon gave him a stern, yet semi-impressed look, before letting out a small frown.

"For someone of your status, I would have expected you to try a lot harder," he grumbled. "Especially if you want to move further up the ranks… being the new boy and all."

"I apologise," Tyne bowed respectfully. "But we are on the case, I can assure you. And we have had some unlikely assistance in our expedition." It was at that moment that Gordon noticed that we were all stood together. Sandra, Misty, Nurse Joy and myself looked in different ways, yet at the same target. Gordon took a step forward, as his Dragonite sat down, balancing itself with its long, thick tail.

"So you must be friends of Sandra," Gordon chuckled a little. "It's about time she found some decent folk who wouldn't betray her in the way that Darkhan did."

"I've heard the story," I nodded quietly, not trying to sound too cocky or anything.

"Your names?" Gordon asked, raising a curious eyebrow.

"I am Misty, former Gym Leader of the Cerulean Gym and Water Pokemon Master!" Misty declared proudly.

"Jonathyn Christian of Azalea Town," I proclaimed, not taking my eyes from Gordon. He gave me a dagger-like stare as I said my name, but for what reason I did not know. He quickly shook his head, as if trying to forget whatever thoughts had entered his mind. "Something the matter?" I asked.

"It's nothing," Gordon muttered, giving me another strange glance. "Nurse Joy, I think you should head back to attend to your duties."

"No… I've finished for the day," Nurse Joy suddenly replied, surprised that Gordon had addressed her in such a formal manner.

"You have more urgent matters to attend to rather than this mindless jargon," Gordon smiled. "Sabheen, you have a Pokemon on your team that knows Teleport?"

"Yes, sir," Sabheen replied, having regained her composure since her stern telling off from Gordon. "Scyphe has provided us with the use of one of her Abra, which can use it naturally well."

"An Abra?" I let out a small chuckle. "I thought you were so elite trainers! If you're training something as simple as an Abra…"

"You're so naïve, child," Gordon let out a sly cackle of his own. "We are so much more than just Pokemon Trainers. You are possibly one of those who think that Pokemon are simply caught and then raised to be strong. But you do not even know half the story."

"Master Gordon, I don't think it is wise to tell these brats about our work," Tyne murmured to him on the side.

"No more so than you already have done, Tyne," Gordon sneered back to him, shooting his suggestion down. Tyne bowed his head in a respectful manner once again despite his superior's arrogant tone. "But you do have half a point, I suppose," he paused, thinking of what he should possibly say.

"Father… where have you been all this time?" Sandra asked, approaching the man. Gordon gave her a strange glance, taking a step back as she approached him. Yet it was not as though he was scared… it was more like he was trying to keep a fair distance from her. "What's wrong?" Sandra's voice fell as she noticed his hesitation.

"I was hoping that this day would not come," Gordon sighed, locking eyes with his daughter. "Sandra, what happened back at Silph Co… I don't know how to explain this to you, but it was staged…"

"Staged?" Sandra gasped in shock. "You mean it was a set-up right from the start!?"

"Not entirely," Gordon confessed. "You see, you blame Darkhan for the incidents that happened… and so you should. If I had known who he was sooner I would have seen to it that he never had ANY work ever again."

"What do you mean "know who he was sooner?" I queried.

"Before the boss hired him," Gordon replied, giving me another strange glare. "I heard about how he left you to die when he obtained the Master Ball and the Articuno, but what happened after that…"

"I thought he… he killed you," Sandra whimpered, tears still streaming down her cheek.

"Not quite," Gordon smirked. "Indeed, he did attack us to obtain more information on the Master Ball he did not slay us as he intended to. Whereas many of my colleagues were killed, I managed to escape. It was at that point that I was taken into care…"

"Into care?" Misty frowned. "But you're an adult." Gordon, Tyne and Sabheen all let out a laugh at the same time.

"Stupid girl," Sabheen mocked, but was quickly silenced as Gordon gave her another stern look.

"I could not survive on my own. I had no family to go to and I was sure that my daughter had been left for dead. The only companion I had with me at the time was a Lapras that had been brought to us for examination. I used it to ferry me to the Sevii Islands. That's where I met him."

"His Lordship," Tyne blurted out.

"Keep your mouth shut!" Gordon boomed, yet Tyne did not cower as much as Sabheen had done when spoken to in such a manner. "Yes, the man who was gathering specialist trainers to help him for a noble cause."

"That cause being?" Sandra listened with intent.

"Now is not the time, nor the place to be telling you this," Gordon frowned. "But I have always had a fondness for Dragon Type Pokemon. A trait that seems to have brushed off on you, Sandra."

"Explains the giant Dragonite, at least," I shrugged, looking over to the colossal dragon.

"Yes, and to thank His Lordship for taking care of me in my time of need, I shall appease him in the best way that I can."

"But what about me?" Sandra suddenly frowned. "I'm your daughter! Where were YOU in MY time of need?"

"Don't be such a fool," Gordon hissed. "Your youth sustains you. I am reaching my limit, whereas you have the rest of your life ahead of you."

"But you're my father!" Sandra cried. "What is so important that puts this man who you call your boss on a higher level of importance than your own flesh and blood?"

"You don't understand what we are doing, Sandra," Gordon grinned. "We are an elite force! Darkhan failed to get what we require, so vermin like him must be eradicated."

"You can't kill the man," I stepped in. "Not even Darkhan deserves that."

"You're right," Sabheen nodded. "We should torture him instead."

"Sounds good to me," Tyne snickered, licking his lips deviously.

"You're sick!" Sandra scowled. "You're demented. Can't you see what this man has done to you? You're not the same loving man that I once called my father! You're a disgrace." Gordon shot Sandra a venomous look, one filled with anger.

"How dare you talk to me like that!" Gordon bellowed once more. "For years, I dedicated my life to research. The Master Ball would have made us rich beyond our wildest dreams. And I did it all for you! But such disrespect such as that you have just displayed, it makes me proud that I made the decision to stay with His Lordship and follow in his footsteps."

"How could you!" Sandra wept, lunging forward and hitting her father in the chest in sheer sadness. The punches were not meant to hurt physically, but more mentally. Gordon simply stared at his daughter as she barraged him with more light punches. To my horror, Gordon raises his arm and swung a fist, connecting to Sandra's open jaw knocking her to the floor. We all gasped, simply not believing what Gordon had just done. Sandra coughed and spluttered, spitting a mouthful of blood to the ground. She wiped her mouth with one hand, still trembling in despair. As soon as she noticed the blood on her hands, she stood back up and faced her father. Her face filled with a crimson red of sadness and rage. We all glared at Gordon, who seemed almost satisfied with what he had just done.

"You make me sick!" I snarled, running over to Sandra to check on her. "Are you alright?" No sooner than I said, she shoved me back fuelled by her anger.

"Don't touch me," she warned threateningly. "I will never forgive you for what you have done!"

"Get over it," Gordon hissed once more. "My devotion lies with His Lordship and Squadron Seventeen."

"Squadron Seventeen?" I frowned in question.

"That must be the seventeen specialist trainers' collective name," Misty suggested.

"How clever," Tyne chuckled, rejoining Sabheen. "Master Gordon, we shall continue our pursuit of Darkhan immediately."

"Not if we get to him first!" I challenged purposefully. "We'll make sure he gets locked up for good! Then you will never get hold of him or his Articuno."

"How do you know we are after the Articuno as well?" Gordon snarled, before turning to face Tyne and Sabheen. "I suppose you two know something about this?" Tyne was about to respond, but was quickly cut off. "Never mind. Just get him now. Teleport to Pewter City and split up from there. He could only have gone in two directions from there. I don't care what it takes. Just get him!"

"Yes, sir!" Sabheen and Tyne both responded obediently. Sabheen threw a Poke Ball forward. An Abra emerged, just as they had described. Obviously, Nurse Joy was still stood with us as the conversation had not resulted in her departure. They both took hold of the small Psychic Pokemon.

"Oh, no you don't!" I snarled, throwing myself forward towards the Abra. But before I could tackle them down, they vanished into thin air. Slowly, I pushed myself off the ground, punching it in frustration. That is before turning my focus back to Gordon, who was glaring at his daughter intently. "We've got to get out of here and catch Darkhan before they do!" I called to Misty, who nodded at me.

"I can't allow you to do that," Gordon smiled darkly. "Dragonite, if you would be so kind…" With that, the giant dragon's gentle expression changed to that of merciless determination. It's eyes narrowed as it got back up to its feet, pushing itself up with its tail. This was going to be tough.

"Dragons can't do much to Steel Types, no matter how big they are," I grinned. "Aggron, show 'em a lesson!" I grabbed his Poke Ball and was about to throw it forward.

"No!" Sandra roared at me, causing me to flinch to a stop. "This is my fight," she growled a little quieter. "Let me deal with my father myself." I paused hesitantly for a moment, unsure whether to follow Sandra's instruction. "No time for standing around, Jonathyn," she snarled at me. "Just go!" I gave a small look to Misty and Nurse Joy, who both nodded at me. With that we began to scarper, disappearing into the thick trees that had not been disturbed neither by Gordon's Dragonite, nor Team Rocket's destroyed mecha. Once we were further into the woods, we could hear a battle raging nearby. Obviously, Sandra had began the battle with her father.

"I have an idea," Nurse Joy smiled, pulling a Poke Ball out of her apron pocket. "Chansey, come on out." In a sudden flash of light, one of the egg shaped Pokemon reappeared in front of us. "This is a different Chansey than before," Nurse Joy explained. "It happens to know the move Teleport!"

"That's… convenient," I gawped.

"What should we do? Head after Darkhan?" Misty began, trying to think of the best solution to dilemma.

"You have a battle tomorrow, don't you?" Nurse Joy asked me, to which I responded with a simple nod of the head. "You should get some sleep. I can alert the authorities to help out Sandra and search for Darkhan."

"The tournament is the last thing on my mind with what is happening right now," I sighed. "Sandra's fighting a losing battle over there and we can't just leave her to it. Not even Officer Jenny can take down Darkhan AND that Seventeen Squad,"

"Squadron Seventeen," Misty corrected me, to which I gave her a short frown.

"I'm sure there are enough security personnel to deal with Gordon," Nurse Joy proclaimed. "And Darkhan may not even be in the area anymore. And even so, with the curfew and whatnot they are bound to know to keep an eye out for him."

"But we just can't let that group run amock!" I retaliated. "What if they're up to something really bad? You heard what Gordon said, they were going to change the world as we know it. That's exactly what Team Galactic said, but they were trying to create a whole new universe using Dialga and Palkia."

"Who are Team Galactic?" Misty asked.

"A criminal group back in Sinnoh," I answered. "They've disbanded now, since their leader seems to have gone into hiding."

"All groups, whatever they call themselves are usually up to no good," Nurse Joy nodded in agreement. "Team Rocket, Team Magma, Team Aqua, the list goes on and on."

"Then it's settked," I declared. "Seventeen Squad need to be taken out before they do any real harm!"

"It's Squadron Seventeen, Jonathyn," Misty corrected me yet again.

"Does it matter what they're called?" I replied, a little frustrated but trying my best not to upset my girlfriend. "All that matters is they need to be stopped."

"Very well," Nurse Joy smiled. "I'll transport you two back to the Trainer Village. At least tomorrow you will be ready for your match. Come by the Pokemon Center in the lobby and I can let you know if anything happens. In the meantime, I'll take Jenny and her team to where Gordon and Sandra are battling."

"Thanks, Nurse Joy," Misty smiled kindly. The Pokemon nurse turned back to her Chansey, who was waiting quite pleasantly patiently for an instruction.

"Chansey, please Teleport us back to the Trainer Village," Nurse Joy sweetly ordered.

"Chan-sey!" the egg shaped Pokemon smiled.

"Grab a hold, you two," Nurse Joy said to us, placing her hand on her Pokemon's shoulder. Misty and I exchanged a small smile, before placing our hands on the Pokemon's body as well. The Chansey closed its eyes and began to focus. There was a sudden bright flash of light, literally blinding me for just a few moments. When my sight returned, we had indeed arrived at the end of the Trainer Village, just a couple of hundred yards away from where my log cabin dormitory was situated. Immediately, we were surrounded by a group of security personnel, pointing their weapons at us.

"State your names!" one of the security guards ordered in a fakely butch voice.

"They're with me," Nurse Joy said to the armed man, who immediately lowered his weapon.

"Honestly, pointing a weapon at children in such a manner," a suited man said from nearby, approaching our position. "Ah… Jonathyn. Good to see you, despite the time."

"Uhh… yeah, sorry about that Rufus," I apologised.

"Can you give me a good explaination as to why you are out after curfew?" Rufus asked in a polite and kind tone, yet folding his arms as if a little bit annoyed.

"I can explain that, Mr. Goodshow," Nurse Joy interevened. "You see, it was only a few moments before the curfew took effect and we were all in the Pokemon Center in the main lobby. However, we were attacked by a Rotom which destroyed most of the equipment and locked us inside."

"I knew that thing was going to be a nuisance as soon as I saw it," Rufus frowned to himself. "But nonetheless, I gather the situation is under control?"

"Jonathyn here captured it, so it won't be bothering us for much longer, hopefully," Nurse Joy smiled.

"An interesting tale to tell," Rufus nodded his head, apparently believing the truth. "And at least it explains why it was in such a state when I went to inspect it. I already have a team cleaning up the mess and replacing the damaged equipment there. So tell me, what happened after that?"

"Well… it's kind of a long story to explain, Mr. Goodshow," Nurse Joy sighed. "But you have my word that Jonathyn and Misty here have done nothing wrong at all. In fact, I believe they should be praised."

"As much as I would like to do that, Nurse Joy, they are still breaking curfew," Rufus looked at Misty and I as he stated this fact.

"I know that, sir," I bowed apologetically. "And for that, I am truly sorry." There was an awkward silence. I could tell that Rufus was more than likely trying to think of a suitable punishment.

"Very well then," he finally spoke. "Please go to your dorms and stay there until morning once the curfew is over. I'll let this one slide, as I know full well that you had good intentions, despite breaking the rules." I bowed respectfully and thankfully to the tycoon.

"Thank you, Mr. Goodshow," all three of us thanked Rufus simultaneously.

"No need to thank me," Rufus insisted. "Now then, you two head on. Nurse Joy, please explain the situation to me."

"Yes, of course," Nurse Joy bowed. "Goodnight, Jonathyn. Goodnight, Misty."

"Goodnight, Nurse Joy. Thanks for your help," we both gratefully departed, heading straight back to the dorm in the opposite direction of where Nurse Joy and Rufus had begun to walk. We quickly entered my dorm, attracting some attention from the patrol units on duty before closing the door behind us. We both let out weary tired sighs, both preparing to go to sleep. I kicked my boots off my feet and removing some of my clothes, namely my jacket, shirt, jeans and socks until I was only stood in my underwear. Misty had gone into the bathroom to change into her nightdress, which allowed me some time to get under the covers before she could see my half naked attire. She soon walked out, with her hair let down rather than in the spiky bobble that she usually has it in. She got into bed with me too, turning the lights out as she did so.

"Everything is going to work out, you know," Misty said reassuringly.

"I know that," I sighed. "It's just there's only so much that we can do."

"Yeah," Misty replied with a small sigh of her own. "But don't let it worry you. The police are on their way to help out Sandra, catch Gordon and Darkhan and then we won't have anything to worry about." I paused for a moment, letting out an exhausted yawn.

"I've still got no idea how I'll beat that girl tomorrow," I muttered to myself. "But I'll manage."

"Let's get some sleep. You'll feel better in the morning," Misty smiled at me, giving me a soft kiss on the lips. I remember kissing Misty for a short while after that, before finally falling asleep once again in each others arms.

**TO BE CONTINUED**

_**NEXT TIME:** Jonathyn makes his final preparations for his next Pokemon League battle against Mimi. But will the ramifications of yesterday's experience prove costly as the clock ticks away?_


	36. Chapter 36

_**DISCLAIMER:** I do not own Pokemon. If you don't believe me, ask Nintendo. They'll definitely prove you otherwise._

**THE LEAGUE OF CHAMPIONS**

**CHAPTER 36: THE AFTERMATH OF YESTERDAY! ROUND FIVE IMMINENT!**

Strangely, Misty and I had both awoken at the same time. We must have only had six hours sleep a piece, as we were both up and about by just before quarter to seven in the morning. Already though, we had both changed into our clothes and generally prepared for the day ahead. By now, an hour had passed and we had already attended breakfast inside the Indigo Plateau, the lobby of which had been fully restored after my newly acquired Rotom had nearly destroyed the place. I had left my Pokemon to heal with a different Nurse Joy than the one that had accompanied us yesterday. Where she was at the moment I wasn't too sure. I spent the rest of the time talking to Misty about various things. She mentioned her three older sisters, who each had a different claim to fame. It was mostly idle talk, though as I could not help but keep thinking about the events that had occurred yesterday. In truth, I did not want to leave Sandra to battle her father all alone. Who knows what could have happened to her? Whether or not Nurse Joy's message got across in time and Gordon was now safely locked away remained a mystery thus far. But I knew… or rather I hoped that all would be revealed soon.

A couple more hours had passed and Misty and I were starting to get a little bit bored. We had returned to our dorm for the time being, allowing our Pokemon optimum time to heal and prepare for the battle in their own way. Misty passed me a hot cup of coffee, which I began to sip slowly as so I didn't burn my tongue.

"Ahh, that's better," I smiled, nourishing the taste of the sugary brown liquid. "Thanks, sweetheart."

"Not a problem," Misty beamed happily, giving me a short kiss on the lips, before sitting beside me. "So your match is one of the last of the day," she began after taking a loud slurp of her iced tea. "What do you want to do before that?" I simply shrugged like I usually do when I cannot think of a good answer, or rather be bothered to think of one. "Give me some idea, Jon," she rolled her eyes as I raised my shoulders. "We could go for a walk, we could go and meet Brock or Ash…"

"Ash is battling Cynthia today," I replied. "First match of the day if I'm not mistaken."

"Ooh, do you want to go and watch?" she asked with an excited tone. "That ought to be one of the best matches ever!"

"If you want to," I nodded. "I want to have a bit of time with my Pokemon as well, particularly Aggron and Gabite. I can't afford to have them spark off their rivalry again. This match is too important to lose."

"And how about Nidorino?" Misty asked. "Do you think it's up to the challenge?"

"He tries his best and that's good enough for me," I replied rather bluntly, taking another sip out of the cooling coffee. "Besides, all he needs is a bit more experience battling. I haven't given him much of a chance so far."

"I still would have thought Quagsire would prove more useful…" Misty thought out loud. "But it's your decision. And I'm sure you have faith in your Nidorino just like you do with your other Pokemon."

"Dead right," I nodded sharply, almost spilling a bit of coffee over me. "Also, I'm hoping Nurse Joy can tell us what happened after we got back last night."

"I hope they stopped Gordon and Darkhan," Misty lowered her head a little. We both fell silent for just a moment, allowing us to finish our respective drinks. I left a small amount of coffee left in the bottom, yet all that remained of Misty's iced tea was… well…ice. Even so, she took one cube of ice and crunched it up in her mouth. Something that seemed a little bit strange to me at the time, but thought nothing more of it. I stood up and began to head for the door. "Where are you going?" Misty asked me, looking up at me with those sweet little eyes of hers.

"To find out," I replied, heading for the door. Misty smiled and stood up. We both exit the dorm and headed back out into the daylight. After closing the door behind us, we headed in the direction of the Indigo Plateau once more. Some of the security personnel who I recognised last night gave us some more funny looks, but as before I paid little attention. We passed some other trainers who had been eliminated from the tournament already, as well as some who were still in. Just before we exit the Trainer Village, a boy with purple hair stopped directly in front of us. I scowled as Paul let out a small, arrogant chuckle.

"The happy couple," he chuckled to himself. "I suppose you're both cheering each other up after your cooling-off period?" I let out another small growl as he referred to when I was frozen by Darkhan's Articuno. An experience that I truly did not want to remember for a fairly long time.

"I didn't see you do much better against him," Misty retaliated viciously. This only seemed to give Paul more ammunition against us.

"Mind you, YOU didn't do any good at all when you faced me," he taunted.

"…You…" Misty snarled. She really did get wound up far too easily. But when it is a guy like Paul doing the agitating, I wouldn't exactly blame her.

"How pathetic," Paul huffed. "I don't suppose you even know what went down last night, do you?"

"Of course I do," I snapped back. "Why, what did you hear?"

"You tell me what you heard first… or perhaps you're just saying you know what happened to try and make it seem that you're less of a loser,"

"Huh?" I titled my head, a little confused. "Fine, I heard that there's a group of people called Squadron Seventeen running around the place." Paul gave me a disapproving look.

"You're part right, so I guess you're at least half a loser." I let out a scowl as he said that. "That girl you beat in the last round… Sarah, is it?"

"Sandra," Misty corrected with venom. Paul seemed to take delight in her tone of voice.

"Whatever," he muttered. "I heard she's in intensive care. Beaten down mercilessly somehow. Don't know what did it, nor do I really care."

"Sandra's in intensive care!?" I gasped. "Where? Where have they taken her?"

"How should I know?" Paul grumbled. "It's not as though I have anything to do with her." I gave Misty a short look, I could almost feel the fear rising from my gut and into my throat.

"Nurse Joy would know," Misty said to me in a comforting way. We quickly began to run towards the Indigo Stadium, straight past Paul.

"Hmph, you're welcome," he snorted arrogantly once more. I paid no attention to the state that he made. All I cared about right now was finding out Sandra's condition. Or at least whether it was at all true. Misty seemed to understand the friendly bond that Sandra and I now shared. At first, I knew she was slightly envious but I think that those foolish thoughts had now dissipated. At least for now. We literally ran into the lobby of the Plateau, before heading to the desk where I had left my Pokemon before. A slightly different looking Nurse Joy to the one that I had seen this morning greeted me with a half-hearted smile.

"Hello Jonathyn, hello Misty," the Nurse Joy from last night greeted us. My face was drooping a little. "From the looks of things, you've heard the news."

"Sandra?" I asked, with a worried look on my face. Nurse Joy nodded a little.

"She was rushed to Viridian's Emergency Room in the early hours of this morning," Nurse Joy began. "She's stable, but it will take some time for her to fully recover."

"What happened?" Misty asked, surprisingly interested in the detail.

"Using Chansey's Teleport, I managed to take Officer Jenny and Mr. Goodshow to where they were battling before," she explained. "When we were there, Sandra's Pokemon were completely wiped out by Gordon's Dragonite. She was the only thing left in the way. The Dragonite literally destroyed her. She's suffered third degree burns, several broken ribs and a concussion at least! We won't know the full extent of her injuries until the doctors get back to us."

"What about Gordon?" I scowled, not intended to offend Nurse Joy at all. She simply shook her head.

"He got away," Nurse Joy sighed. "His Dragonite created a diversion with a powerful Flamethrower attack, before flying off into the night. We have no leads as to his current location. I did tell Officer Jenny that the other two, Sabheen and Tyne were seen heading for Pewter City. Police forces all over Kanto have been alerted."

"Hold on," I paused, suddenly had a thought. "Gordon said that the one that looked after him was based in the Sevii Islands. Perhaps he's headed back there."

"You never know," Nurse Joy pondered my analysis. "It is possible, but the Sevii Islands are so vast in size it would be impossible to search every single little inch. It's hard enough doing it around this place."

"You have a point," I frowned. I wished there was more that I could have done, but there wasn't. If only Sandra had let me fight alongside her. Perhaps I could have prevented some of her injuries. She might still be standing up at least if I was there to assist her.

"Don't blame yourself," I heard a kind voice say to me. I looked around, but no one was there.

"Who said that?" I asked, still bemused as to who was talking to me.

"What?" Misty asked with a confused look on her face. "I didn't hear anyone."

"Over here," the voice said again.

"Where?" I called out loud.

"What the hell are you talking about?" Misty said to me, looking even more bewildered. It wasn't until I looked over in the direction of the lobby entrance that I saw Anabel waving. She ran over to us welcomingly.

"How many times have I told you…"

"…not to read your thoughts?" Anabel chuckled as she finished my sentence off for me. "I knew you were going to say that."

"You should also know to stop it!" I thought. I knew she would carry on reading my thoughts regardless, so I thought I might as well at least try and wind her up a little. At least it took my mind off of Sandra for a moment.

"I heard about what happened. I'm really sorry," Anabel comforted me. I shook my head, slightly less disappointed than I was before. "I know it's tough, but she'll pull through. She seems like a strong enough girl."

"It's not the injuries that upset me," I said softly to everyone who was around me. "It was the way that she obtained them… That damned Gordon. How could he do that to his own daughter."

"It's the world we live in," Anabel sighed. "There are a lot of sick people in this world and there are more and more coming out of the woodwork every day. Even though it is mainly a minority, they seem to be the only sort of people you ever hear about."

"There is some good news, though," Nurse Joy said to me with a more cheerful tone. This in turn made me smile a little. I looked at her with absolute interest. "We found out where Darkhan was heading. He was seen flying south of here on the back of that Articuno."

"What's south of here?" I wondered out loud. "There's Pallet Town and Cinnibar Island…"

"He might be heading to the Seafoam Islands," Misty suggested. "It's a perfect place for Articuno to breed."

"The Sevii Islands are even further south," Nurse Joy added. "Maybe he's gone after the leader of Squadron Seventeen."

"I'm sure that wherever he's gone, he will be out of our way at least for a few days. Maybe until this whole tournament is over, God willing," I smirked. I noticed that Nurse Joy had placed a small tray containing six Poke Balls on them. "Did you send for the other one?" I asked Nurse Joy with a small smile.

"Yes, Jonathyn," Nurse Joy smiled. "I got in touch with Professor Elm. Your Pelipper seemed ecstatic to see him."

"Why? What's Pelipper doing with Professor Elm?" Misty gave me a short frown.

"I had to see just how powerful my new addition really is…" I let out another smirk, taking the Poke Ball from the tray and throwing it into the air. What emerged was the Rotom that I had only just caught yesterday evening.

"Rororororo!" it chuckled mischievously, looking around at the area that it had destroyed only to find it had all been fixed. It then paid attention to me, floating down just in front of my face.

"Rotom, my name is Jonathyn," I greeted it calmly. "Welcome to my team!" The Rotom seemed a little bit bewildered at first, but then a small grin appeared on its face. It let out a small buzz as it acknowledged the fact that it was now with us, before sliding its eyes in the direction of one of the monitors that was hung from a nearby wall. Rotom let out a sly buzz before floating up towards the screen. I could see small sparks coming out of its body. "Stop!" I called to it, thinking that it was about to cause even more destruction. Indeed it did stop, before looking at me with a disheartened expression on its face. "You can't go around messing stuff up," I informed it. "It's not right." Rotom seemed to apologise by drooping its two bolt-shaped 'arms' before lowering itself back to our level. "That's right. Now, how about I introduce you to your new friends?" Rotom let out an excited squeal, before bobbing up and down in mid air in ecstasy.

"It's kinda cute when it does that," Misty giggled, which made the Rotom laugh a little as well. I couldn't help but smile at this as well, releasing my other five Pokemon on hand from their Poke Balls. Aggron and Gabite immediately snorted at one another, before redirecting their attention to the Rotom. Houndoom seemed to snarl, remembering how it had caused it so much pain yesterday. Quagsire, meanwhile, had jumped up and began wrenching my neck in the painfully gleeful manner it usually does. Nidorino watched this, completely dumbfounded as to what the Ground Water Type was doing. Once Quagsire had finally released me (and after a moment massaging the side of my neck) I took a stand next to Rotom.

"Everyone, this is our new friend Rotom. Rotom, this is Aggron, Gabite and Nidorino. And you've already met Houndoom and Quagsire. Say hello to Rotom, guys!" My Pokemon each welcomed the Rotom in their own ways. Rotom had an overwhelmingly joyous expression on its face, releasing a small shower of sparks. Gabite and Quagsire seemed unaffected. Aggron simply shrugged off the electrical shock, whereas Houndoom and Nidorino were both a little annoyed at the unwelcome and unexpected shock.

"Rorororo!" Rotom laughed again in its seemingly trademark fashion. I grabbed a hold of Rotom's Poke Ball, as well as Quagsire's, who was trying to hug pretty much everything in sight.

"We'll get better acquainted later. But for now, return!" Two red beams shot out from the Poke Balls, before absorbing the two figures back into them. I then turned to face my remaining four Pokemon, who were to help me defeat Mimi. "OK," I began. "We've got a tough opponent next and I'm going to need each of you to put everything you've got into this battle. I promise you, I will do my very best too." Each of the Pokemon were listening to every single word I said, acknowledging my wishes. "I don't know which of you will start, but we'll cross that bridge when we come to it. All I do know is that our opponent will be using some strong and unusual Pokemon. But never back down and never give up! You ready to do this?" My Pokemon all cheered, fuelled with desire to win. I nodded, respecting their obedience. "Rest up for now. We'll be battling later." With that, I returned Gabite, Aggron, Nidorino and Houndoom into their Poke Balls.

"So what do we do now?" Misty asked, looking a little bit bored.

"We've got some time before Ash's match with Cynthia. Perhaps we should go and see Sandra."

"That's probably not too wise," Nurse Joy said to me over the counter. "The best thing you can do is let her rest. Company might cause her some discomfort."

"I suppose…" I frowned, wishing that Sandra was alright. I suddenly had a flashback to a few days ago… when Casey was still here and her Vespiquen had gone on a rampage. I recalled the injuries that it gave me… and the way I was soon healed. "Nurse Joy, couldn't your Pokemon use their healing techniques to help Sandra?" Nurse Joy shook her head slightly.

"The extent of her injuries are too severe," Nurse Joy replied. "Although I had my Chansey team do as much as I could, Pokemon are better at healing other Pokemon than humans, just like humans are better at healing humans."

"But you seem to be able to help out Pokemon pretty well…" Misty objected.

"Yes, but you must remember that I have been working with Pokemon my entire life," Nurse Joy explained to us. "Most Pokemon have never used their techniques on humans before."

"I guess we didn't think that one through," I remarked sadly.

"It's alright," the Pokemon nurse smiled encouragingly. "At least you have the right idea by wanting to help her. But for now, she needs a good rest and the doctors will take it from there."

"Thanks Nurse Joy," I smiled. "So then… what should we do?"

"I saw Brock earlier," Anabel suddenly pipped up. "He said he was doing some last minute training with Ash. Perhaps we should go and join them."

"Did he tell you where they were training?" Misty questioned yet again.

"He doesn't have to," Anabel grinned. I knew exactly what she meant, but Misty seemed a little bit confused. "Shall we go?" Misty and I nodded to one another and began to follow Anabel out of the lobby and back outside, but not before thanking Nurse Joy once again by bowing gratefully to her, which she acknowledged by bowing back. Once outside, I absorbed my surroundings, taking a deep breath of fresh air. The skies were now a clear blue. Only a few specks of white were seen in the gleaming summer sunshine, not to mention the bright orange sphere that is the sun. Anabel led us just to one side of the Trainer Village into a lawn-like area. I could immediately see two human figures along with four Pokemon. We approached closer. As Anabel had predicted, Brock and Ash were having a Training Battle. Brock's Pokemon of choice were his familiar looking Croagunk, along with another Pokemon that I did not recognise. It looked almost like a giant walking pineapple wearing a sombrero-like hat. I didn't want to hazard a guess as to what it was. Ash on the other hand was using a large, dark purple bat-like creature with a tail similar to a scorpion. Also battling alongside it was a small tortoise like Pokemon with a small stick on its head. The pineapple-shaped Pokemon spat a stream of water from its beak-like mouth straight at the flying scorpion creature, which was able to quickly avoid.

"Croagunk and Ludicolo against Gliscor and Turtwig," Misty observed. "Should be interesting." It was at that point the battle seemed to cease as Ash and Brock both noticed our presence.

"That ought to be enough training for one day, Brock," Ash called over to his opponent, walking in our direction. His Pikachu jumped up onto his shoulder and clung on to the side of his head as he walked.

"Good call, I'm getting kind of hungry," Brock smiled, as his Croagunk and Ludicoil or whatever the hell you call it began to walk alongside him over to where we were stood. Ash approached Anabel slowly before kissing her softly on the lips. For some reason, Misty turned away, turning an angry shade of red. She quickly lost this unsuitable shade and reverted back to the direction she was facing. "How are you all doing?" Brock warmly asked us.

"Seems like we haven't seen you for a long time," I chuckled, trying to think of the last time I actually saw him.

"What have you guys been doing all this time?" Ash indicated to Misty and I. We both looked at each other and let out a couple of sheepish grins.

"Uhh… we'd better tell you that a bit later," Misty giggled. "So, you ready for your big match?"

"Sure am!" Ash grinned confidently. "I've got Charizard, Sceptile, Gliscor and Pikachu ready to take Cynthia down! I've no idea what Pokemon she'll be using, though. I haven't really had a chance to check."

"She's going to be difficult to beat, you know," I warned him. "She's one of the all time greats!"

"If I beat her, then so will I!" Ash exclaimed with a hint of adrenaline. "What about you, Jonathyn?"

"I'm battling with Nidorino, Aggron, Houndoom and Gabite," I told him my line up. "Mimi, my opponent has a Chatot, a Sudowoodo, a Ditto and a Smeargle if I remember correctly."

"Whoa… quite a mixed bag there," Ash gasped a little. "Think you can win?"

"I know I can, Ash," I smirked, trying not to act so cocky as I did so. "You know, I'd love to battle against you in the next round," I confessed slightly. "You're a talented trainer and I don't want to fight weak trainers. They're no fun. It's when I face a true challenge that my body starts to change… I feel a sudden surge of energy like no other… like a Pokemon about to unleash an attack…"

"We'll definitely battle again, Jonathyn," Ash nodded. "Whether its in the tournament or not will be down to fate."

"I agree," I grinned. "So let's both go out there and give it our best shot." I extended my arm out, offering my hand to seal the deal in some respect. Ash did not hesitate in the slightest before grasping it, shaking it firmly.

"You've got it!" he smirked, releasing the grasp on my hand. "How long to go until zero hour?" I quickly looked at my Poketch to find the answer. It was almost half past eleven in the morning.

"You've got just over half an hour until the battle starts," I answered. "Do you need to prepare anymore?"

"I mainly need to heal my Pokemon one last time," Ash replied. "Can't have them going into battle not at one hundred per cent."

"You're telling me!" I chuckled. "You'd best get a move on."

"Alright," Ash nodded, before turning back to Anabel. "Wish me luck," he said softly, kissing her on the lips once again. Anabel giggled in response. All of a sudden, Misty grabbed me by the collar of my shirt and wrenched my head down and kissed me a lot more firmly on the lips. My eyes seemed to widen for some reason. She finally let me go, blushing rather heavily. There was rather an awkward silence as Ash and Anabel both looked at Misty strangely. Even Brock seemed a little bit dumbfounded by seeing this. Misty looked at the three, still blushing.

"I'm sorry," she giggled in a weird way. "I don't know what came over me."

"Nor do I, but I like it!" I smiled, giving her another little kiss on the lips, but this time she almost seemed to pull away from me. I raised my eyebrow at her. Another moment of silence fell over the area, but was quickly broken by Ash.

"Better get going, see you later!" Ash bid us goodbye, starting to run towards the Indigo Plateau.

"Good luck!" Anabel waved to him as he began to fade from view. The fifth round was approaching fast. I hoped that Ash had prepared properly, because I knew that Cynthia was about to push him to a limit that no other oppoent that he would have faced in his history as a Pokemon Trainer...

**TO BE CONTINUED**

_**NEXT TIME:** The showdown between Ash and Cynthia officially begins! Which of these two talented trainers will be heading through to the Quarter Finals? And who else will be joining them?_

* * *


	37. Chapter 37

_DISCLAIMER: I don't own a Bugatti Veyron… just like I do not own Pokemon…_

_**MESSAGE TO READERS:** Man, this chapter was difficult to write. Obviously, Cynthia versus Ash needs to be special, so I've put a lot of time and thought into how I want this battle to turn out. To be honest, as I write this top section now, even **I **don't know who is going to win this battle. It just depends on how it will affect the rest of the story. After all, they are both major characters in this story in their own right. But hey, I guess we'll find out soon. So, go grab a lemonade or something, kick back and enjoy!_

**THE LEAGUE OF CHAMPIONS**

**CHAPTER 37: ALMIGHTY BATTLE! ASH VERSUS CYNTHIA: PART ONE**

Since Ash had made his way to the arena, Misty had mainly just been talking to Brock, trying to avoid talking to Anabel wherever possible it seemed. I couldn't exactly understand why, but then again she is a girl. A very weird species indeed, but it was just alien to me why Misty's behaviour changed so dramatically every time the Frontier Brain made her presence. I could see it in her face that she had something against her. Maybe it was down to their different relationships with Ash. But then again it wasn't my place to question so I remained silent, despite having a hunch that Anabel would be reading my thoughts anyway. By now, we too had arrived on the battlefield on which Ash and Cynthia would be battling. The Rock Field. The same battleground in which I had defeated Casey in my second round battle. It looked fairly sturdy, despite the battering that it surely must have taken over the last few days from various Pokemon attacks. We sat ourselves near the front of the stadium. It was surprisingly empty, but due to the security restraints, there were long queues heading right out of the Indigo Plateau.

"This is going to be awesome!" I grinned to myself, facing Anabel. She nodded in agreement. Misty, who still seemed somewhat uncomfortable with Anabel's presence cuddled up to me in the adjacent seat. Brock too had made his way down to where we were sat, sitting next to Anabel. He passed us a tin of drink each… Remoraid Lemonade… what kind of name was that? But still, it tasted good.

"I wonder which Pokemon Cynthia will be using…" Brock muttered as if to himself, but in a volume high enough for us all to hear.

"Probably Garchomp and Milotic, they're her strongest," Misty suggested, giving me a small peck on the cheek just as Anabel paid attention. I gave her a small frown, but then looked out across the arena. More and more people were beginning to pile into the stadium.

"Ash will more than likely start with Pikachu and Gliscor," Anabel smiled. "Charizard and Sceptile are two powerhouses and are perfect for taking on her strongest Pokemon."

"Fully evolved starter type Pokemon are always powerful choices," Brock began. "But there's always going to be a Pokemon that is stronger. Look at Cynthia's Garchomp for instance." Brock paused and leaned forward to get a view of me. "By the way, how is your Bayleef?"

"Bayleef?" I questioned. "I'm not too sure. I haven't seen it since I swapped it for Quagsire before. But depending on how we get on in this next battle I could bring it back for the six on six duels."

"Ah, so you know about that, huh?" Brock grinned.

"That's right," I bobbed my head to confirm my knowledge. "After you have successfully defeated trainers on all five battlefields, you move to the Main Arena where all battles are six on six."

"You've still got to make it through that Mimi girl first," Anabel said with a serious tone.

"He will!" Misty growled a little in response to defend me from Anabel's comment. We both seemed a bit taken aback by her tone of voice, but simply smiled it off. I could almost feel Misty's blood boiling inside of her. But why was she getting so worked up about it? "Jonathyn, if you end up facing Ash you know I'll be rooting for the both of you?"

"Huh!?" I gasped, a little stunned that she would bring that up at this moment in time. I took a second to regain my composure, before giving Misty and small kiss on the lips. "We'll cross that bridge when we come to it," I smirked, before turning away to look out over the battlefield once again. "Besides, he's got no chance against Cynthia," I chuckled to myself in a sinister fashion. Fortunately, the crowd was becoming so loud that my words were drowned out.

"Ladies and Gentlemen," the announcer's voice suddenly boomed over the personal announcement system, silencing the crowd slightly. "It's time for one of the most anticipated matches in Pokemon League history. Grand Pokemon Master Cynthia takes on the dominant Ash in this huge battle. We are about ready to get underway, so let's bring out the trainers!" The crowd suddenly erupted into roaring cheers as both Ash and Cynthia walked out from opposite ends of the field at the same time. The announcer was still introducing them both, but we could not hear a word he was saying. I saw Cynthia standing on the green platform, whereas Ash was stood on the red one, his Pikachu clearly visible on his shoulder. An official positioned himself on the side of the field in the direct centre, a flag being held in each hand as is the norm. "The battle is a four on four double battle with no time limit. Trainers are not allowed to switch Pokemon until they can no longer physically battle. Now are you ready for the battle of the century!?" The crowd replied with another outburst of cheers. "Then let the battle begin!" the announcer declared. Everyone cheered as Ash threw just one Poke Ball forward, his Gliscor emerging next to Pikachu who had already made its way onto the battlefield.

"Told ya," Anabel beamed, delighted with her correct prediction. Cynthia had also chosen her two Pokemon to battle. The first was her ominous Garchomp, which many crowd members cheered for as it appeared. The second was a strange pink slug-like Pokemon with small protrusions sticking out of the side of its head. Misty let out a gasp.

"A Gastrodon! Wow, it's so pretty!" Misty's eyes lit up in sight of the Pokemon.

"Looks like something you step on if you ask me," I snorted, cracking a smile.

"It's no laughing matter for Ash, though," Brock frowned. I gave him a glance, signalling for him to explain. "Gastrodon is a Water Type with Ground Type traits as well. In the same way that electric attacks don't harm your Quagsire, Gastrodon is also unaffected."

"But Garchomp are also part Ground type," I exclaimed. "That means Pikachu's electric attacks will do absolutely nothing! And he can't switch out until Pikachu is beaten!" I then looked over to Cynthia, who currently had a prematurely victorious pose. "Ash had better think of something, or else he's done for." With that, Pikachu shot forward at high speed, circling both Garchomp and Gastrodon, who seemed confused. They both appeared to look around, trying to spot where it was. This allowed Gliscor to swoop in and strike a strong X-Scissor on Garchomp, which was then finally struck by Pikachu's drawn-out Quick Attack. Garchomp did not seem to phased by this, particularly as it retaliated by surging forward at Gliscor, it's body glowing a strange yellow. I could tell by the glow that it was using its Giga Impact. Gliscor was struck hard, knocking it down to the ground. Gliscor did manage to get back onto its feet, balancing on its tail. All of a sudden, a wave appeared in front of the Gastrodon, before sending it towards both Pikachu and Gliscor. The wave of Muddy Water struck both Pokemon hard.

"Ash's first moves didn't do a thing to Cynthia's Garchomp," Misty gasped. "But Giga Impact and Muddy Water took them both down."

"Ash will have to do much better than that," I frowned. Back on the battlefield, Ash's Gliscor was back in the air and ready to attack again, this time what looked like a Steel Wing connected with Garchomp's fins, which it was using to defend itself from the attack. From nowhere though, Pikachu had leapt into the air, its tail glowing with the same silver colour as Gliscor's wings. It slammed the Iron Tail across its unprotected face, sending it staggering a little. However, Garchomp was not taken down yet. It stood back up to a vertical base before thrusting one of its elbow fins upward, smacking Gliscor in the jaw. Gastrodon in the meantime had began to summon another Muddy Water attack, which Pikachu quickly dove aside to avoid. However, Gliscor was not so fortunate, taking the full force of the super effective attack.

"I can see what Ash is trying to do," Anabel exclaimed. "He's trying to pick off Garchomp by having both Pikachu and Gliscor gang up on it. But Cynthia knows this and is having Garchomp use powerful attacks like that Giga Impact and that Brick Break just a moment ago, then Gastrodon uses Muddy Water to hit both opponents."

"Pikachu can't do a thing with its electric attacks," I nodded. "Ash is relying on Iron Tail and Quick Attack. Gliscor poses more of a threat right now and Cynthia is doing a good job of picking it off. But it does have persistence, I'll give it credit on that one." Back out on the battlefield, Ash had instructed Gliscor to use an attack I had not seen before. It flew directly at Garchomp, hitting it hard before flying straight back towards an open Poke Ball. Ash threw a second forward, his Sceptile emerging from it. "What happened?" I raised my eyebrow in suspicion. "I thought he wasn't allowed to switch Pokemon in this match?"

"Gliscor can use a move called U-Turn," Brock smiled, noting Ash's strategy. "It's a move that does damage and then the Pokemon returns to its Poke Ball. Being an official Pokemon move, switching out is legal in this instance."

"Clever," I grinned. "And now Ash can use Sceptile to do double damage to Gastrodon, as a Rock Ground combination is really weak to Grass moves." Ash wasted little time in exploiting this, as Sceptile formed to large green blades from its wrists. But rather than hitting Gastrodon as I thought it would, it hit Garchomp with such force that it knocked it to the ground. However, it was too close to Gastrodon and failed to avoid a sudden blob of green and purple ooze that it flung straight at the Grass Type. "Man, it can use Sludge Bomb too!" I gawped, completely amazed that another of Ash's Pokemon could still be taken out with super effective moves. All of a sudden, the whole arena began to shake. Both Gastrodon and Garchomp seemed to be pounding at the ground at the same time, causing a freakishly powerful Earthquake. I could see cracks forming in the Rock Field's base, before suddenly bursting up through the ground sending both Sceptile and Pikachu hurling backwards. "Wait a minute," I frowned once again. "Earthquake affects all Pokemon on the field, bar the user. So if Garchomp and Gastrodon were BOTH using Earthquake, they would have taken damage as well!"

"True, but a very minimal amount," Anabel nodded. "They're both Ground type after all…" I rolled my eyes a little, negating a jealous look from Misty. Sceptile and Pikachu were both still recovering from that last attack. Sceptile seemed to stagger limply towards Gastrodon. Something seemed strange about this… It wasn't until Sceptile's mouth opened and a ridiculously large beam of energy flew straight at Gastrodon. The sea slug-creature was engulfed by the solar powered beam, emerging pretty much fried, yet it was not defeated despite taking a huge amount of damage from that attack. It somehow launched a second Sludge Bomb at Sceptile, who this time managed to evade. But it couldn't dodge Garchomp, which appeared to be using Dragon Rush in a very similar fashion to my Gabite, with the exception that there was considerably much more power behind the attack. Sceptile skidded across the rocky terrain, halting just inches away from Ash's Pikachu. It seemed to give the Sceptile some words of encouragement, which appeared to work as the jungle lizard got back up to its feet. Garchomp did not seem as though it was at all phased by the earlier attacks. Gastrodon on the other hand looked on the brink of defeat.

"That Gastrodon won't survive long unless it takes out that Sceptile," I noted. "One more hit could knock it out." Pikachu surged forward, using its Quick Attack to pick up a head of steam. It shot like a rocket towards Garchomp, before leaping up at the last possible moment and swinging a well placed Iron Tail right in the Dragon's chest. It let out a disgruntled growl, before connecting a Brick Break to the much smaller opponent in quick retaliation. I began to think that Garchomp was invincible… and if that was the case, then I really hoped that Gabite could some day evolve into such a magnificent creature. My mind dawdled away for just a moment, when I suddenly caught sight of Pikachu charging up an electric attack. It fired what looked like a Thunderbolt at Gastrodon. The attack did indeed hit, but Gastrodon did not seem to bothered by the ineffective attack. Blinded by the electricity, it could not see Sceptile charging up a second Solarbeam, firing it in quick succession and blitzing the Water Ground Type once and for all. To the crowd's amazement, the sea slug Pokemon wearily lowered its head, smacking it on the ground in defeat.

"Cynthia's Gastrodon can no longer battle!" the announcer boomed over the announcement system once again. "Ash's strategy of using an ineffective Thunderbolt to blind it and then have Sceptile fire a Solarbeam is something that a true Champion would think of! But speaking of true champions, Cynthia is not defeated yet! Which of her Pokemon will join her Garchomp on the battlefield?" We did not have to wait long for an answer. Cynthia's next Pokemon was one that I had seen briefly before. I think it was back in Azelf's Cave… it was like a swirling purple vortex coming from a strange stone. "Cynthia is using Spiritomb, a Pokemon with no weakness at all! How will Ash fair?" the announcer proclaimed.

"Not well, I don't think," I chuckled to myself again, which encouraged Misty to nudge my side a little bit venomously. I apologised by kissing her on the cheek before returning my attention to the match. Now that it was not restricted to certain attacks, Pikachu launched a Thunderbolt at the Forbidden Pokemon. Although the attack did appear to do some damage, the Dark Ghost type suddenly shot a ghostly orb of black energy straight at Pikachu. The Shadow Ball was intercepted however by a barrage of seeds shot from Sceptile's mouth, which caused it to explode causing little harm to the small yellow rodent. In the melee of this, Garchomp slammed into Sceptile with a Giga Impact, streaks of orange energy flowing behind it. Just after this, Pikachu leapt up at Garchomp, striking it once again with an Iron Tail. This time, Garchomp took considerable damage since it was still recovering from the Giga Impact. Sceptile also followed this up with a Leaf Blade to the exhausted Dragon. Garchomp fell to one knee, reeling in pain!

"And Garchomp can't seem to be able to withstand too much more of this punishment!" the announcer boomed excitedly. "Can Sceptile and Pikachu finish off Cynthia's most powerful Pokemon before it can recuperate?" Ash seemed to have an extremely confident stance, pointing out onto the battlefield. Sceptile began to attack by unleashing a Bullet Seed attack, causing Garchomp even more discomfort. It attempted to shield itself from the barrage with one of its elbow fins. Pikachu quickly attempted another Iron Tail attack, but suddenly stopped in mid air, a strange blue aura surrounding it as it floated helplessly above the arena.

"Now what?" I exclaimed.

"Spiritomb is using Psychic," Anabel frowned. "Despite being a Dark Type, it can also use Psychic attacks with great effect." Once Sceptile's Bullet Seed attack ceased, Garchomp quickly shot towards Pikachu covered in blue streaks of energy, still being held in the air by Spiritomb's prolonged Psychic attack. Garchomp slammed into Pikacu with such force that it flew from where it was and literally crashed into the wall just in front of where Misty, Anabel, Brock and I were sat. The crowd seemed to wince at the sight of this. Everyone in the front row peered curiously over the side of the wall, but Pikachu was nowhere to be seen. We wondered for a moment, before it suddenly fell from the crevasse in the wall that the impact had made.

"And Pikachu has been eliminated!" the announcer declared as Ash desperately ran over to his beloved Pokemon with a sense of concern in his stride. He knelt down next to it, picking up the defeated creature in his arms. He did not face us at all, he was far more concerned with the well being of his Pikachu, which is entirely understandable. Misty and Brock had told me of the bond that Ash and his Pikachu shared. Ash returned to his podium, placing Pikachu down next to him to rest. Ash took a moment to think. I wondered which of his Pokemon he would choose now. Gliscor had already taken some damage from its earlier encounter with Garchomp and Gastrodon. However, his Charizard was still available and paired with Sceptile could prove an unbeatable combination. My questions were eventually answered as the flying scorpion creature reappeared above the battleground. "It's Round Two for Gliscor! Can it perform better than it did earlier in the match?" the announcer asked.

"I wonder why he's chosen Gliscor again. Charizard would have been a fresh start," I frowned.

"He knows what he's doing," Anabel smiled, earning yet another scowl from Misty. It was now my turn to nudge her, although I did it with a lot less force than when she had done it to me just now. With the match still raging, it was still anyone's guess who was going to win. Cynthia seemed quite calm, whereas the nervousness in Ash was quite evident compared to his confident expression before. Sceptile began by launching another barrage of Bullet Seeds at Garchomp, which once again shielded the attack with its fins. Gliscor meanwhile flew up further into the sky, narrowly missing a Shadow Ball that Spiritomb had produced. It flew back down at great speed, opening its pincers. It attempted to clamp down on Garchomp, but Garchomp swatted it with a Brick Break attack, sending it crashing to the ground. Sceptile intervenes with a Leaf Blade, slashing the powerful Dragon across the chest. It let out another agonised snarl, before stumbling backwards. The Garchomp then seemed to start chewing on something… everyone appeared to be a little bit confused at why it had started to make a chewing motion with its jaw, until its wounds slowly began to heal. I let out a disbelieving gasp.

"That thing had a Berry in its mouth this whole time!?" I snarled.

"It's perfectly legal," Brock stated. "I think she used a Sitrus Berry as they have more healing power than that of an Oran Berry and whatnot."

"It's never ending!" I moaned a little.

"I wish it didn't end!" Brock exclaimed. "I haven't seen a match this exciting in a long, long time."

"It really is a good match," Anabel bobbed her head in agreement. "I just hope Ash can see what is coming."

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"Well, I don't know about you but I know which Pokemon she will be using once either Garchomp or Spiritomb faint."

"Which is that then?" I tilted my head as I asked the question.

"A Pokemon that will defeat all three of Ash's remaining Pokemon in a flash," Anabel cryptically explained. "Now that Pikachu is out of the question, there's not much chance of stopping it."

"Which one is it, then?" I demanded, growing ever more impatient.

"You'll see soon enough," Anabel grinned at me, turning back to the match. I let out a frustrated scowl beneath my breath, along with an envious one from Misty. After calming her down by kissing her on the cheek, which was fast becoming a routine, my eyes were once more fixated on the battle. Gliscor once again had taken to the skies as Sceptile swiped at the Spiritomb with a Leaf Blade, however it simply faded from view, reappearing behind Sceptile and launching what looked like a Dark Pulse, knocking the Grass Type a few feet back. Garchomp attempted to take it out with a Dragon Rush, but this time Sceptile was able to evade the attack. Gliscor descended from the skies, using an X-Scissor on the Ghost Pokemon. It's body seemed to warp as the attack connected. Sceptile followed this up with a Leaf Blade, this time also hitting its mark. The Spiritomb unleashed a second Dark Pulse, only for Gliscor and Sceptile to evade. Garchomp was also nearly hit in the stray attack, but managed to leap out of the way. The Mach Pokemon attempted to hit another Brick Break on the airborne Gliscor. As its fins came down, Gliscor's pincers opened wide, clamping down on the fins. Both Pokemon began to fall to the ground, the weight of Garchomp proving to be too much for the evolved form of Gligar to maintain flight. I noticed that as they did fall, Gliscor twisted its body so that its arms were crossed. As if they were paper, Gliscor managed to tear a part of Garchomp's fin. Garchomp let out a horrific roar, thumping to the ground below creating a cloud of dust. The crowd fell instantly silent as Gliscor hovered just above the impact site. The cloud eventually dispersed, revealing that Cynthia's Garchomp was laying motionless on the crowd. It was eerily silent, before one single person began to applaud… then another… then another. Everyone was clapping their hands in recognition of the feat they had just witnessed.

"I… I don't believe it," the announcer stammered over the PA system. "Cynthia's Garchomp has been defeated… GARCHOMP IS DEFEATED!" he suddenly erupted along with the crowd, whose applause morphed into cheers. Cynthia called back her defeated Garchomp with an impressed look on her face. "Who would have thought that a Gliscor could beat Garchomp? And the one hit knockout move Guillotine really hit its mark! Cynthia is down to just two Pokemon, whereas Ash still has three!" The crowd continued to cheer, whether in encouragement of Cynthia or in congratulation of Ash I wasn't too sure. Despite the uproar, Cynthia seemed to maintain her composure. I turned to face Anabel, who had a surprisingly smug look on her face.

"Ready?" she grinned, observing Cynthia's movements. As the Sinnoh Champion threw her Poke Ball forward, I had completely forgotten about her chosen Pokemon. The majestic water serpent known as Milotic. "This Milotic can use Water attacks to beat Gliscor and Charizard. Not only that, it knows Ice Beam, which can be real trouble for Sceptile in particular.

"So, the fun is only just beginning?" I asked with a small grin.

"It certainly is," Anabel nodded in response, her eyes returning to the battlefield…

**TO BE CONTINUED**

_**Next Time:** Cynthia versus Ash Part Two! Who will emerge victorious from this explosive battle?_


	38. Chapter 38

_**DISCLAIMER:** In order to prevent Nintendo coming down on me like a ton of bricks, I must inform you that I don't own Pokemon! So get over it, already!_

**THE LEAGUE OF CHAMPIONS**

**CHAPTER 38: ALMIGHTY BATTLE! ASH VERSUS CYNTHIA: PART TWO**

The majestic Milotic coiled itself into an attacking position, ready to strike Ash's Pokemon down. The Spiritomb, which had taken mild damage from earlier in the battle, was still standing with its same menacing expression scattered across its warped face. Ash's Gliscor and Sceptile both looked a little weary, yet their desire to win seemed to fuel them to battle on. Cynthia, who was currently disadvantaged by losing two of her Pokemon did not seem too worried at the prospect of defeat. In fact, the more concerned face belonged to Ash. He knew full well of the power that Cynthia possesses, not to mention the intimidating strength that her Milotic contained. I could tell he wished that his Pikachu was still able to battle. It would have been able to cause some major damage to the Water Type, although Sceptile's Grass Attacks would be just as effective. The only exception to Sceptile from Pikachu was that Milotic's Ice Beam would cause nowhere near as much damage to a Pikachu than a Sceptile. It would definitely be something that Ash would need to look out for, and something that Cynthia was bound to exploit.

"Who has the advantage now?" Misty wondered aloud, gazing at the beautiful Milotic as her words were lost in wonderment.

"Who knows?" Brock replied bluntly. "I would say whoever loses a Pokemon next will be at the biggest disadvantage."

"That kind of goes without saying," I noted with a hint of sarcasm. "But you're one hundred percent correct."

"Don't count Ash out just yet," Anabel reminded us. "Remember, Cynthia's Garchomp is one of the strongest Pokemon in possession of any trainer and Ash managed to take it out of the picture. I'm sure he will put up one heck of a fight, even if he doesn't pull through."

"I hope he does though," Misty murmured into my shoulder, cuddling up against me some more. I quickly slid my eyes in her direction, but was forced to look back as the action of the battlefield resumed once again. It was Ash's Gliscor that began by using its claws to flick dirt from the rocky ground right into Milotic's face. This was quite a clever technique. I knew that Sand Attack reduced a foes accuracy. If Ash kept this up, Milotic could quite literally be blinded for the remainder of the fight. Cynthia was quick to notice Ash's tactic, however and ordered Spiritomb to strike. I could see a strange wind blowing from the Dark Ghost, striking both Gliscor and Sceptile, forcing them back a little bit. The Silver Wind attack proved to be more powerful than I imagined. I was surprised that it was using a Bug Type move, but yet the results were quite impressive. Sceptile seemed to be shaken the worst by the attack, but it retaliated by firing a Bullet Seed straight at the Spiritomb, moving closer as it fired the attack. Cynthia's Milotic finally began to move, but rather than attack a veil of water surrounded the serpent.

"Why is using Aqua Ring now?" Misty frowned. "It hasn't even taken any damage yet."

"I suppose when it eventually does get attacked, it will be healed pretty much straight away," I assumed in response.

"Cynthia really knows what she's doing out there," Brock said to us. "She knows that Gliscor's Sand Attack reduced the chances of her attacks hitting, so instead she's using a defensive move until she's ready to attack."

"But if Gliscor uses Sand Attack even more, then there's even less of a chance that her attacks will hit. Surely it would be better to attack now rather than let Sand Attack reduce its accuracy further."

"Like Brock said, she knows what she's doing," Anabel stated firmly to me. "That's why she's Sinnoh's Grand Champion." I frowned at myself a little, deciding it would be best not to argue about this matter any further.

"I guess so," I muttered, looking back out to where the battle was taking place. Sceptile was still using its Bullet Seed on the Spiritomb whilst taking several steps forward towards it. In the meantime, Ash had instructed Gliscor to use another Sand Attack on Milotic, which is what I originally thought he would do. Milotic remained in its coiled and defensive stance. Sceptile had now moved close enough to Spiritomb to use its famed Leaf Blade technique, slashing the ghoulish Pokemon across its face, which once again warped as the attack connected. It seemed to have taken some hefty damage, but was still able to maintain its composure. It lauched a sudden Dark Pulse from its body, knocking Sceptile away and also knocked Gliscor to the ground. Milotic then uncoiled itself and suddenly unleashed a large wave of water, somehow keeping its body afloat on the lip of the wave. The water crashed down on top of both Sceptile and Gliscor, with Milotic's body stretching wide, almost clotheslining them both at the same time as the wave's impact. The crowd gasped at this unbelievable move.

"That's one of the most perfect Surf techniques I've ever seen!" the announcer boomed over the PA system in his usual over-the-top manner. "That kind of move would make a Contest Champion proud."

"I'll admit, even I didn't see that coming," Anabel grinned, giving me a little playful look before returning her focus to the match.

"Yeah, I'll bet," I mumbled beneath my breath. I knew that Anabel heard it, but I was sure that Misty and Brock didn't. Slowly, Sceptile and Gliscor managed to get back up to their feet, only to be knocked straight back down by a Dark Pulse from Spiritomb. I suddenly realised what Cynthia was doing. Rather than attack each foe one at a time, she was using moves that struck both opponents. A Surf followed by a Dark Pulse ensures both Pokemon are immobilised to attack for a moment. And with both attacks following each other in quick succession, this would allow Cynthia complete control over Ash. "She's got him beat," I chuckled to myself, thinking that there was no way for Ash to recover from this strategy. As expected, Cynthia's Milotic had returned to where it had originally delivered the first Surf attack and had began to form a second wave of water. What I did not notice before that Sceptile's back was starting to glow. I knew exactly what was coming. The Milotic Surfed forward on the wave it had created. Suddenly, Gliscor darted skyward well out of range of the Surf attack. Milotic's head followed the direction in which Gliscor was flying, completely unaware of what was about to strike it next. Sceptile opened its mouth wide open, firing a large Solarbeam straight at the Milotic. With no time to respond, the powerful Grass Type attack struck the aquatic serpent with magnificent force. The wave suddenly dispersed, causing no damage at all to Sceptile. Gliscor then darted back down, it's wings filling with a familiar silver glow, striking the already grounded Milotic.

"A remarkable combination of Solarbeam and Steel Wing have taken Milotic down, but can it recover before the next attacks strike?" the announcer rhetorically spoke.

"Looks like Cynthia isn't the only one who knows what they're doing," Anabel smiled.

"Hmm…" I hummed, deep in thought. This battle was proving to be much less one sided than I originally thought that it would be. In fact, I thought to myself that if I was to progress further in this tournament I would definitely need to up my own performance as well. I believed strongly in my Pokemon, but I knew there was only so much that we could do. We would all have to try much harder, especially in this upcoming battle with Mimi. I took a quick look at my Poketch. I would pretty much have to head straight for the Steel Field once this battle had finished if I was to prepare fully for the battle.

By now, Milotic had squirmed back next to Spiritomb. I noticed that the Aqua Ring had begun to take effect as its wounds had slowly started to heal. The Spiritomb hit forward first of all, firing a Shadow Ball in the direction of Sceptile. As it had done previously in the battle, Sceptile attempted to counter using Bullet Seed. I then noticed the Milotic fire a freezing beam of ice from its mouth straight towards the Sceptile as well. However, due to what I guess was Gliscor's Sand Attack, it misses by several inches. But what shocked me the most was that the resulting explosion from the collision of Shadow Ball and Bullet Seed forced Sceptile backwards into the trailing Ice Beam. Although not hit directly, it was still enough for Sceptile to scream out in pain as the super effective attack connected.

"Well… that was unexpected," I frowned, noticing Sceptile's discomfort.

"I think Cynthia half expected the Ice Beam to miss," Anabel stated. "And she knew that Ash would try to counter the Shadow Ball, so all in all her plan worked perfectly."

"Only she would think of something like that," Brock muttered.

"Personally, I think there was a little bit of luck involved," I stated. Everyone else chose to ignore my comment as the battle raged on. Ash had resumed his strategic plan to minimise Milotic's accuracy as Gliscor had begun to use Sand Attack once more. This time, the Spiritomb intervened by manipulating the winged scorpion with a Psychic attack, hurling into the air without use of its wings. Gliscor tried to break from the mental hold, but failed as it was thrust straight into Sceptile's torso. The jungle lizard was quick to get back up to its feet and began to glow a strange colour of green. This took me by surprise a little bit.

"What is that? Overgrow?" I raised my eyebrow in suspicion. An answer followed, but not through words. The glow remained a constant pale green before suddenly several thick and spiked roots bore through the rocky surface before launching themselves at Milotic. To my bewilderment, the Milotic did not even attempt to resist the attack. It simply glowed a strange colour briefly before the gargantuan roots slammed into it. Suddenly though, the roots rebounded off Milotic and straight back towards Sceptile, hitting the Grass Type with shocking force.

"Even I didn't know that Sceptile had learned how to use Frenzy Plant," Brock admitted. "But when Milotic countered with Mirror Coat, it did double the damage that Frenzy Plant would have caused. And Frenzy Plant of course is the most powerful Grass attack there is."

"And Sceptile looks completely wiped out after using that move," the announcer's annoying voice continued to bore us. It was at that moment that the Spiritomb attacked with another Silver Wind attack, but Ash was prepared for it. Despite it's weary state, Sceptile used its strong legs to propel itself skyward to join Gliscor. Sceptile latched itself to Gliscor's feet, using a tremendous amount of strength to hurl it back down towards the ground at break neck speed. As it did so, its wings filled with silver, preparing for a Steel Wing attack. The Spiritomb suddenly noticed this and tried to counter with a Dark Pulse, but Gliscor quickly managed to evade the shards of dark energy and slammed straight into the Dark Ghost. An explosion of dust flew into the air as Sceptile landed with great agility. When the dust had finally settled, the Spiritomb's warped face was now flat on the ground, looking completely wiped out. The official on the side of the battlefield raised his flag, signalling Spiritomb's defeat.

"And Cynthia's Spiritomb has been defeated by a powerful Steel Wing attack from Gliscor!" the announcer's voice echoed across the already electrified arena. "That means that Cynthia is now down to her last Pokemon, whereas Ash still has three! Could this be the end of Cynthia's Kanto Title race?"

"Amazing!" Anabel gasped. "Using Sceptile's physical strength to propel it, Gliscor's Steel Wing became even more damaging than normal!"

"Now Cynthia only has Milotic left," Misty smiled excitedly. "And Ash still has Sceptile, Gliscor and Charizard!"

"Not to mention that Gliscor's Sand Attack has already reduced Milotic's accuracy dramatically," I added. "Ash may have a chance after all."

"It'll be interesting to see how Cynthia comes back from this!" Brock exclaimed, a little more enthusiastically than his normal tone of voice. I looked back out to see the facial expressions of the trainers. Ash's was that of ecstasy and confidence, whereas Cynthia's was cool, calm and collective despite being at a huge disadvantage.

"Well, look who it is! It's the dumpling brigade!" an unfortunately familiar voice cackled from nearby. Misty let out a small shriek as Harley took a seat next to her, ogling her in his usual weird manner.

"What are you doing here, Harley?" I scowled, wishing that this creep would leave us alone.

"I've already won my Fifth Round Battle," he boasted cheerfully. "It was a cinch! My divine Pokemon performed absolutely gorgeously. I'm one of the final eight trainers!"

"Good for you," I replied half-heartedly, trying to focus back on the match.

"You know what the best part about it is, though?" Harley chuckled, before glaring at me maliciously. "It gives me more of a chance to go head to head with you so I can humiliate you in front of your girlfriend." Misty's face turned a bright red. Whether or not it was due to embarrassment or frustration I couldn't tell.

"Don't push your luck," I warned, turning away from him to resume watching the battle. Misty continued to glare at the strange man dressed as a Cacturne, but soon followed suit.

"Hmph," snorted Harley before he also looked out to see what was happening. Not much had happened since Spiritomb's elimination. Milotic had healed more of its wounds with the Aqua Ring circling around it briefly. There was a momentary stand off as the Champion's water serpent examined its opponents carefully. It shook its head, trying to shake some of the sand from its eyes. After a moment, the Gliscor took to the skies once more, circling above the Milotic. Ash's Sceptile then moved in for the critical blow, preparing its Leaf Blade. Gliscor then swooped down, widening its pincers as far as it could. Both Pokemon went to strike the Milotic, when suddenly the Water Type darted back, firing one of the largest Ice Beams I had ever seen. It was so large that it engulfed both Sceptile and Gliscor in the freezing beam. Gliscor fell limply to the ground, but after a moment and some encouraging words from its trainer, it managed to push itself back onto its feet, balancing on its tail once again. Sceptile was not so fortunate, as it had been imprisoned in a tomb of ice.

"I know how that feels," I shuddered, recalling the moment that Darkhan's Articuno had done the same thing to me.

"You look a bit numb," Harley cackled, sliding his eyes in my direction. I paid no attention to him. I was more focused on Gliscor, who darted towards Milotic and struck it quickly before flying straight back into its Poke Ball.

"It used U-Turn again," Brock stated. "It must have taken a lot of damage from that Ice Beam, so a rest seems like a good idea."

"I'm not so sure," Anabel remarked. "Sending an already weakened Pokemon into battle again seems more like a move of desperation. But since Ash still has his impressively powerful Charizard still to come, he has decided now would be the best time to utilise its power."

"That Milotic is pretty," Harley beamed. "But it's nowhere near as pretty as my buddy, Banette." I gave him a strange look. It was like comparing Rhonda of Sinnoh Now to Agatha of the Kanto Elite Four. Nonetheless, I looked forward as Ash threw the Poke Ball forward. Cynthia had already battled one of these Flying Fire Types earlier in the tournament, which in fact belonged to Darkhan. Actually, no… it belonged to that Squadron Seventeen… I then fell deep into thought once again; the whole world seemed to stop to allow me to think properly.

All the negative emotions suddenly started to flood back. The duels with Darkhan, the arrival of that strange duo from Squadron Seventeen, the Articuno, the Azelf, then Sandra… I could only imagine how horrific her injuries had been since I had only been told through word of mouth what had happened to her. Her own father beating her mercilessly the way he did. It made anger and hate build up inside of me to an extent that I thought I was going to go wild. But I refrained from doing so, for the sake of not only my sanity but also for Misty. I cared for her more than most things in my life, but there was also a special place in my heart that was constantly filled by Sandra. Could it be that… No. Of course not. That would be a preposterous preposition. But was it? Was it really?

"Jonathyn, look sharp!" Misty nudged me. I suddenly came to my senses and looked back out over the battlefield as I had done before. "What's wrong with you?" she asked with a hint of concern.

"Looks like he's bored of your company," Harley mocked, earning him an irritated glare from Misty. Back out on the Rock Field, things were beginning to heat up quite literally. Ash's Charizard was using the flame on the tip of its tail to defrost the frozen Sceptile. Slowly, the ice began to melt. However Cynthia would not allow such an easy escape. Milotic created yet another wave before our very eyes and Surfed straight towards Charizard and Sceptile. However Charizard quickly dug its claws into the block of ice and took off into the air, only getting splashed slightly by the wave. Milotic quickly fired an Ice Beam, which was well off target to be fair. Charizard then turned around spat a Dragonbreath at the majestic Pokemon, hitting it just above its tail. The Milotic let out a small moan, before Charizard finally landed with Sceptile. There was a loud crack, followed by a shattering noise as Sceptile broke free from the ice. Shards of ice were sent hurtling at the Milotic, but Aqua Ring quickly recovered any damage that was caused from it.

"Sceptile is finally free to battle once more, with the help of Charizard!" the announcer bothered us once again. "Can these two power packed Pokemon put an end to Milotic once and for all?" Without delay, Milotic quickly shot another Ice Beam at Sceptile, but was met head on by a Flamethrower from Charizard, nullifying it completely. Charizard then darted forward, preparing a Steel Wing of its own. It was mere inches away from striking, but the serpentine Milotic completely stretched out its body along the ground, sending Charizard soaring over it and crashing into a protruding Rock formation on the battlefield. Milotic then wasted little time in heading towards Sceptile, which attempted to defend itself using a rapid Bullet Seed, but Milotic avoided every one of its rounds, firing a close range Ice Beam into Sceptile's chest. The roar was agonising as it fell backwards.

"This could be the end of Sceptile," Anabel gasped, looking on in awe. No one else said a thing, not even Harley. Sceptile slowly tried to get back up… after a moment of waiting it did indeed manage to get back up to its feet. It managed to stand upright, barely. From nowhere, Charizard spat a second Dragonbreath at Milotic, which was barely able to evade. What it could not evade were several spiked roots reappearing from beneath the ground, lashing it with brutal force. The glow coming from Sceptile as it attacked was even more intense than the last time it used the move. I guessed this was down to the fact that it had taken a lot of damage and thus its Overgrow ability had kicked in. Suddenly though, the roots lashed backwards in the same way that they had done before. Milotic was obviously using Mirror Coat again. How could Ash be so foolish to try this tactic twice? Especially against Cynthia? Sceptile skidded across the stoney floor before crashing into a nearby rock. This time, it was well and truly defeated.

"Sceptile is no longer able to battle! Despite the type advantage, it looks like Ice Beam and Mirror Coat took their toll on the Jungle Pokemon!" the announcer declared. The crowd had erupted into more cheers, some were even chanting Cynthia's name, egging her on towards victory. But equally, there were people chanting for Ash. The young trainer from Pallet Town called back his Sceptile before slowly summoning his Gliscor back on to the battlefield. Yet I could tell straight away that it was still exhausted.

"Ash needs to think very carefully about how he is going to attack," Brock stated. "If he loses one of his Pokemon now, this whole match could get turned on it's head."

"He can do it," Misty spoke with a whisper. "I know you can do it, Ash." I tried not to give her any sort of look, but what I expressed was a little bit of envy. But nowhere near the rate of Misty's whenever Anabel or Sandra spoke to me. I then paid closer attention to Gliscor's facial expression. Sweat was still cascading from its forehead. It's pincers were almost scraping on the ground. As it had done before, it was using its tail to help balance itself. Ash sent an instruction to Charizard, which suddenly spat a Dragonbreath attack straight at Milotic, which quickly attempted to respond using its Mirror Coat technique. However, Gliscor quickly darted forward, opening its pincers once again and clamping them across the serpent's throat. It was attempting to use that Guillotine again. The crowd watched eagerly, waiting to see where there was enough force in the pincers to cause a knockout. After a brief moment, the Milotic slowly lowered its head to face Gliscor, firing an Ice Beam at point blank range. Gliscor fell limply to the ground. To everyone's shock, it was unconscious.

"And now Gliscor is out of the battle as well!" the announcer yelled. "What a turn around by Cynthia! Now we are down to one on one!"

"It was a nice try," I admitted. "He must have figured Milotic would use Mirror Coat to defend from that Dragonbreath, but it wouldn't be able to protect it from a physical attack like Guillotine."

"But if Guillotine worked against Garchomp, then why not Milotic?" Misty whimpered, obviously afraid that her close friend would lose.

"Gliscor was still exhausted from battling earlier," I predicted. "And being a Flying Ground type, Ice attacks are the most effective to use against it."

"So now it's just down to these two," Anabel almost whispered, deeply engaged in what was happening. Even Harley was watching with a high level of interest. So much so that he had completely forgotten about our presence, so at least he wouldn't say anything for the moment.

"It's going right down to the wire," I grinned with a mixed feeling of excitement, worry and anticipation. "Charizard versus Milotic… winner takes all!"

**TO BE CONTINUED!**

_**NEXT TIME:** It's the explosive climax to one of the most heated battles the Pokemon League has ever seen. Can Ash pull off a huge victory over Cynthia? Or will the Champion of the Sinnoh region bury the hopes of the Pallet Town native? You won't want to miss the next unmissable chapter!_

* * *


	39. Chapter 39

_DISCLAIMER: I do not own Digimon… err, I mean Pokemon!_

**THE LEAGUE OF CHAMPIONS**

**CHAPTER 39: ALMIGHTY BATTLE! ASH VERSUS CYNTHIA: PART THREE**

Ash withdrew his fainted Gliscor from the battlefield, leaving only his dragon-like Charizard amongst the rocks to face the Milotic. The tension in the arena could be felt all over, not only by the competitors but even from those who were merely watching this battle unfold. I knew full well that Ash was feeling a little dejected after having two vital Pokemon taken out of contention in quick succession by Cynthia but he had to maintain his strength if he was to have any chance of winning this battle. He was already at a disadvantage and just one slip up from him could cost him his place in the final eight.

"Cynthia may have the advantage by type, but Ash can still evade her attacks by using Charizard's aerial skills," Brock stated. "Milotic is reduced to the ground, but Charizard has a lot more space to manoeuvre and that could be a key factor."

"But that would also mean that Milotic's Ice Beam will do more damage against Charizard than most other Fire Types," I replied.

"True, but Charizard's Flamethrower can neutralise any Ice based attacks that Milotic throws at it," Anabel responded positively. "Brock has a good point. Ash needs to utilise the air, otherwise he is done for."

"Come on, Ash!" Misty yelled out in support.

"Make your sweetheart happy, sunshine!" Harley called out, glancing out of the corner of his eye to relish Misty's immediate reaction. She soon sat herself back down and burying her head into my shoulder, looking over the battlefield. "Aww, how precious," Harley sneered slyly once more. I shot him a daggerous look, but he simply chuckled to himself.

"Don't let him get to you," I heard Anabel's voice speak to me telepathically. I could not help it though. He just seemed to pinch several nerves. "I know he does," Anabel continued. "But you've just got to try and hide your distaste. It is the reaction that makes him feel so good, so just pretend you don't care." To be perfectly truthful, I didn't care when he mocked me so much, but it was when he started to get Misty's goat that he also got mine. "Well then she should do the same," Anabel replied to my thoughts. I wished that she would stop reading my thoughts, even if she was only trying to help us out. "I understand," her voice said to me. I looked at her for a moment and exchanged a smile. I felt Misty's resulting growl rumble through my torso. I said Sorry in my mind. "That's alright," her assuring voice replied.

"Here we go again, folks!" the announcer suddenly cut off my thoughts. "This is the final part of Cynthia and Ash's battle. Get ready, this is going to be dramatic!" With that, the crowd roared. Cynthia made the first move, predictably creating another wave of water in front of the dragon-like Charizard and Surfing right at it. Instinctively, and under the instruction of Ash, it took off into the air, avoiding the wave which crashed against Ash's podium, showering him and Pikachu with a few droplets of water. Charizard then turned itself around and began to swoop at Milotic, spitting from its mouth a Dragonbreath attack. The Milotic quickly coiled up and took the brunt of the attack, but once again it was sent right back at Charizard from its Mirror Coat. Charizard managed to swerve to avoid its own attack, before preparing a Steel Wing which connected. Milotic was flung back towards Cynthia, instantly healing its resulting wounds with the Aqua Ring technique. Charizard maintained flight as Milotic fired an Ice Beam, but it was a mile off target, striking a section of stairs in the stands, covering them in an icy film.

"Milotic's accuracy is still way off thanks to Gliscor's Sand Attack," Anabel stated.

"Oh yeah!" I suddenly remarked. "I had completely forgotten about that."

"I think Ash knew that he would end up in this situation," Brock declared. "So he had Gliscor use Sand Attack to give him a slightly better chance. And every little bit counts!"

"So Ash doesn't have as much of a disadvantage as we first thought," Anabel grinned, looking towards her boyfriend. By now, Charizard had scorched the serpent's scales using its Flamethrower, although the burns were quickly healed by its Aqua Ring which continued to soothe it. Charizard then followed up by spitting out the smallest Dragonbreath I had ever seen. Nonetheless, Cynthia had Milotic use Mirror Coat. The small stream of flame missed Charizard as it rebounded back as it suddenly spun itself behind the serpent and wrapped its arms around the serpent's neck. It took off high into the sky with Milotic still in its clutches. In midair, it began to loop-the-loop several times. With each passing circle, the aerial lizard seemed to gain speed. Eventually it hurtled back down towards the Rock Field, slamming the Milotic with immeasurable force into one of the rock formations. A large cloud of dust puffed up on impact as the Charizard ascended once more.

"And Milotic was taken by complete surprise by that Seismic Toss from Charizard. Has Ash done enough to defeat Cynthia?" the announcer excitedly reported.

"That's one of Charizard's most powerful attacks," Brock noted. "And the way he executed it was pure genius."

"How do you mean, Brock?" Misty questioned.

"You really are as dumb as you look," Harley tisked. "Spikey there had Charizard use Dragonbreath at half-power, knowing Cynthia would use Mirror Coat to defend it. But by doing that, it allowed the Charizard to use Seismic Toss without getting struck by one of Milotic's attacks." I had to hand it to Harley, despite being a complete weirdo he certainly knew his stuff when it came to Pokemon technique. Mind you, he was once a revered Pokemon Coordinator in Hoenn, Johto and Kanto. Apparently he had competed in all three of the Grand Festivals from each respective region. I wasn't aware whether or not he had been to Sinnoh or not. If he had told me otherwise, then I must have rejected to listen.

"Look at that!" Brock suddenly gasped. We all looked over to the dust cloud which had now begun to settle. Amazingly, the Milotic was levitating skywards, surrounded by its Aqua Ring. It's eyes were glowing an eerie pale blue, before suddenly sending an airborne wave of water straight at Charizard, swallowing it in the water. The Charizard let out an agonised roar as the water fell back to the ground, sending Charizard with it. The rock field had now been turned into a muddy swamp thanks to the impressive attack of Milotic, which had now coiled itself around a rock. Charizard slowly got back up to its feet, still reeling from the attack. Milotic then shot an Ice Beam towards Charizard, which was quickly neutralised with a Flamethrower. Milotic then fired yet another Ice Beam, which Charizard was forced to counter once again with a stream of flame.

"Looks like Milotic is trying to wear Charizard out," Anabel stated.

"But surely Milotic would also be worn out too by using all those Ice Beams," I questioned.

"It's an endurance test," Anabel replied. "Cynthia is testing Charizard's persistence. Not only that, but look at what is happening to Charizard." I did as she said. The Fire Flying type was stood on the muddy ground rather than flying in the air. But nothing seemed to be out of the earlier. "Look closer," Anabel said, apparently reading my mind to notice my obliviousness. Once again I looked, examining Ash's Pokemon carefully. But yet I could still see no sign of anything being wrong. Then I was drawn to Charizard's feet. Both were submerged deep in the thick mud. That's when it clicked.

"I see. Cynthia is not only doing it to test Charizard's persistence," I began. "But also the longer it is grounded, the deeper it will sink into the mud."

"That's right," Anabel nodded. "And the further it sinks, the less likely it will be able to avoid one of Milotic's Surf attacks. I can tell that's what she is going to do."

"You know, I really don't find it fair that you are using your telepathic powers to help Ash," I commented, giving her rather a stern look. She simply smiled at me, before turning away with a small frown.

"I'm not," Anabel responded slowly. "Ash told me that he wants to win this battle alone. He never asked me to help him before, but I just want him to win so bad."

"We all do," Misty suddenly joined the conversation. "But that's not good enough to cheat. Ash can win on his own. He certainly doesn't need your help," she scowled. Anabel shot a glare at Misty, who seemed to have her eyes locked on her. Anabel slowly turned away with rather an angered expression on her face. I eagerly awaited to see whether or not Ash could get out of this predicament that he wasn't yet aware of. Still, the two Pokemon were exchanging Flamethrowers and Ice Beams, still getting nowhere. Then suddenly Charizard spat out a large Flamethrower straight at the Milotic, which in turn made no attempt at all to dodge or prevent. The flames engulfed the Water Type, seemingly doing little damage. As the flames dispersed, I noticed a faint black speck on the Milotic's scales. A small flame flickered from it before going out. Milotic let out a disgruntled hiss, before healing itself once more with Aqua Ring.

"This isn't good," Brock frowned. "Milotic has been burnt." I gave him an odd stare for a moment.

"How do you mean not good?" I asked with a small chuckle. "The damage that a burn inflicts gradually wears a Pokemon out."

"For starters, Milotic's Aqua Ring can heal any damage that the burn inflicts," Brock began. "But also Milotic has an ability called Marvel Scale. When burnt, poisoned, paralysed or put to sleep it's defense it raised dramatically. Ash will need to do something pretty special to cause any sufficient damage to Milotic now." With that, Cynthia seemed to gain an extra boost in confidence, ordering her Pokemon to unleash another wave of water. Charizard flapped its wings hard to take to the air once more, but it found that it was still stuck in the mud. It quickly braced itself by shielding itself with its wings just as the wave crashed over it once again, knocking it down into the mud on its back. Ash shouted words of desperation to his Pokemon, which slowly pushed itself back up onto its feet before managing to pry itself from the thick mud to take to the air. Then, the flame on the tip of its turn changed from a small flicker into a roaring bonfire. The sheer size of the flame was overwhelming, not to mention the heat it was producing. I could feel it from where I was sat and I must have been at least thirty feet or so away. Cynthia was forced to shield herself from the heat, before suddenly Charizard swung its tail, sending the giant fireball hurtling towards Milotic. There was nothing it could do, despite trying to prepare a Surf, it was too late. What resulted was a large explosion which rocked the whole arena.

"What move was that!?" I gasped, shielding myself from the heat and the bright light.

"Blast Burn," Anabel replied. "The most powerful Fire attack that a Pokemon can learn. Even a Water Type like Milotic will have trouble surviving!" Everyone watched in anticipation, waiting to see whether Ash had finally managed to put Milotic away.

"Out of sheer desperation, Charizard uses it's Blast Burn to totally incinerate Milotic!" the announcer whooped in ecstasy. "Surely it must be over now." Once the smoke had cleared, there was a large crater left from the impact. Charizard was still airborne, panting heavily. Suddenly, a beam of ice flew from the crater taking Charizard by surprise. It connected it its chest, the ice slowly expanding over the Fire Type's body. Only its tail was left uncovered, the flame now back to its normal size. However, the dragon-like Pokemon fell to the ground, splatting in the mud. With the exception of its tail, it was frozen completely solid. Milotic then prepared another Ice Beam, I assumed to finish the job once and for all… but rather than producing a beam, a small puff of cold air was exhaled. Milotic looked a little stunned by this.

"Milotic has used Ice Beam so many times that it has run out of energy to use that move!" Brock enlightened us. "That means Ash will need to get Charizard out of that block of ice if it is to win this battle."

"But that means that the only two moves that Milotic can use that will do now are Surf or Mirror Coat," I commented. "But all of Ash's moves are offensive moves, so it can still do at least some damage to it." Milotic had prepared yet another wave of water and had began to quickly accelerate towards the frozen Charizard. Fortunately for Ash, the flame on Charizard's tail began to expand and was melting the ice a lot quicker than it would do for any other sort of Pokemon. I could see a small flame building in the Charizard's mouth as well, as the ice tomb suddenly shattered, only to be swept away by Milotic's Surf. Charizard let out another agonised roar as the water drenched it once again. It fell backward, but managed to somehow regain its composure quickly once again, its tail expanding faster and faster. It then darted towards Milotic, wrapping its arms around its neck just as it had done before. I knew it was preparing a Seismic Toss at this point, but yet the flame on its tail was still growing it size.

"What's he up to?" I asked myself, as the winged lizard took off skyward with its opponent, circling in the air to gain momentum as it had done before and then shot back down towards the ground. It then flung Milotic downwards, before releasing a second fireball from its tail. The Seismic Toss and Blast Burn combined both struck the Milotic by surprise, resulting in yet another explosion. Charizard too fell to the ground, but managed to prevent a crash landing. It leaned against a rock, gasping for breath. The crowd gasped in awe as a result of the two attacks.

"That's got to be it, now!" Misty cried, now on the edge of her seat.

"I agree," Anabel nodded. "There's no way Milotic could have survived that." But then, we were proved wrong. The Milotic once again levitated, surrounding itself with its Aqua Ring which provided enough energy to keep it conscious. Then, all of a sudden it created another wave, Surfing along the top of it. With it's eyes still glowing a pale blue, it was headed straight towards the exhausted Charizard, which was still recovering after pulling off that amazing combination. But then Milotic suddenly shot a torrent of water from its mouth, striking the Charizard in the face. Finally, the wave crashed over Charizard too. The flame on its tail that had once burned so brightly was nothing more than a flicker. The Milotic stared at its opponent as the wave washed away into the mud. Charizard was down for the count, but amazingly it pushed itself back up onto its feet. It glared at the Milotic, which was also panting heavily from that last combination.

"So Milotic used a combination as well to attack Charizard?" I stammered. "But why wait all this time to use Hydro Pump? It could have won much quicker if it used it earlier in the match."

"Maybe she saved it as a last resort," Anabel stated. With that, we all fell silent. There was a momentary stand off between the two Pokemon, with both Pokemon being completely exhausted. Then suddenly, Milotic began to sway a little, before regaining its composure just as Charizard fell forward into the mud, no longer able to stand. As soon as the Fire type hit the ground, Milotic did as well, no longer able to summon energy to maintain its stance.

"Both Pokemon are down, but Charizard was the first to fall. After a climactic battle, Cynthia has defeated Ash Ketchum and is moving on into the final eight!" the announcer declared. With that, the crowd began to applaud, in the same manner which they had done when Garchomp was defeated. Ash and Cynthia both recalled their Pokemon before walking around the side of the main arena to congratulate and commiserate one another respectively. I could see both of them exchange a handshake, before Cynthia raised Ash's arm symbolically. The crowd then began to cheer, acknowledging the heart and passion that both trainers, winner and loser had put into the battle. Everyone stood up, including myself, Misty, Anabel, Brock and even Harley to give the two trainers a standing ovation. Despite the fact that Ash had come up short in the battle, he had a proud and happy smile across his face.

"There's no disgrace in losing a battle like that," Harley smiled. "I'm impressed, I have to say."

"Wow, Harley," I grinned. "I never knew you had a compassionate side."

"I save it for special occasions," he smirked back wickedly. "I'll be doing this too when you get beat." With that, my grin turned into a small frown, but laughed it off before returning my attention back to applauding the two trainers, who had both separated and were heading back into the tunnels from which they had emerged from. The crowd had began to disband.

"Don't forget, we've got a lot of battles still to come in the other arenas," the announcer called. "Coming up shortly on the Steel Field, the master of mimicry Mimi goes head to head with the ever impressive Jonathyn. Don't you miss it and neither will I!"

"So I guess you're going to be heading off for your match now?" Misty gazed at me. I simply nodded, mentally preparing myself for the upcoming battle. "I'll be there, rooting for you," she smiled sweetly at me, kissing me softly on the lips."

"Eww, get a room!" Harley grunted, but both of us paid little attention.

"I'm going to meet up with Ash," Anabel smiled. "I'll be there to watch you too!"

"I'll go and save us some seats," Brock smiled. "Misty, what do you want to do?"

"I'll come with you," she replied to the tanned male. "I'll let you finish getting ready for your battle. Please win… I don't want two people I care about lose today."

"Don't you worry," I grinned with confidence almost overflowing my body. "I've got this one covered." We both exchanged another kiss briefly. I noticed now that Harley had also made tracks. I didn't know where he was heading to, so long as he didn't bother Misty while I was battling Mimi. As much as I had wanted to face Ash in the next round, it looks like we weren't meant to face each other. Fate had other plans, and whoever should win this next battle would be facing another powerful opponent in the next round. But I had to stop thinking about the future and focus on this next match. It was only a few minutes away and I knew that I would have to get a move on. "Gotta go," I smiled, quickly kissing Misty on the cheek before heading towards the stairwell, which was brimming with people still leaving.

"Good luck!" I heard all three of my friends' voices call to me. I randomly waved to signal that I had heard them. I apologised as I shoved my way past some of the spectators, some of whom wished me luck as I passed them. I quickly arrived in the lobby, where several people were healing their Pokemon, which made me thankful that I hadn't left it until the last minute. I clasped my hands over the four Poke Balls which I would be soon launching into battle. After weaving through the crowds some more, I eventually made it to the Trainer Lounge area. I placed my backpack on a random bench, since there were only a couple of trainers still left to battle. I was shocked when I saw a familiar girl dressed in pink stood not too far from where I had just sat down.

"So… here we are," Mimi smiled, walking up towards me. Her outfit was slightly different from that when I had seen her last. She was wearing a pink, shiny leather coat with brown tassels and decorative features. Her hat was also pink and glittery, some sequins sparkled as the light reflected from them. She walked right up to where I was sat, crouching just in front of me locking her eyes with mine. "Tell me," she said, running her fingers along my thigh, "do you want to become Champion?" I tilted my head at her, confused by her behaviour.

"Umm… yes?" I replied with a confused tone as she moved from my thighs to my arms, stroking them as if they were fur. "What are you doing?" I asked, taking a deep gulp of saliva.

"Hush hush there, little boy," Mimi smiled seductively, licking her lips. She stood over me, pressing herself up against my body. "I will throw this match for you if you do me a little favour," she smiled, nipping my ear in what seemed to be a rather provocative manner.

"I don't want you to throw the match," I replied, staring at the girl. "I want to prove that I am the best trainer in the world."

"I know that you are," Mimi smiled. "Everyone knows it. You know, you and I don't HAVE to battle… I will repay you greatly…"

"Wait, hold on one second there," I said, standing up which forced Mimi back a little. "You want to throw the match for me… and you will also repay me if I do? What's going on?"

"Maybe I didn't word it right," she smiled, walking over to the door and locking it with a key. She then slowly strut towards me, unzipping her pink jacket to reveal a very minimal amount of clothing beneath. My jaw dropped upon seeing her figure. "I'll do something for you… but it's something I want as well." I could not take my eyes off the girl's figure. I thought she was a young, innocent girl but she had developed beyond her age. "I know what you are thinking," she whispered to me seductively. "This could be yours… so make it yours," she said, approaching me further before wrapping her arm around the back of my neck and pressing herself into my body once again.

"N-no… I can't!" I stammered, trying to resist all the temptation. "I am dating Misty… I could never do that to her."

"Who's going to know?" Mimi licked her lips deliciously before moving her face closer to mine. I lifted my head up to avoid contact with her lips, but as a result she began to kiss my neck instead. "Come on, Jonathyn," she pleaded, rubbing my chest with her free hand. I began to sweat a little. Misty had never done anything like this with me… and this girl Mimi was surprisingly rather attractive. I slowly looked at her, lowering my head before she began to kiss me passionately on the lips. I pulled away, but ended up backing into one of the cupboards. "Just close your eyes," Mimi sweetly smiled. I let out a long and worried sigh. Our match was scheduled any minute now… but could I really be tempted to do this… I suddenly noticed a flash out of the corner of my eye. I turned my head, but Mimi quickly pressed her lips against mine again. But once more, I shook her off, so much so that I shoved her back. I then noticed what had made the flash. A camera… set up in a nearby locker. I glared at Mimi, who had a mischievous smirk on her face.

"What the hell?" I demanded.

"Aww, come on. I thought it would be cute," she smirked with a sinister glare.

"I'm not buying it," I snarled. "You're just trying to get me to guilt trip you towards a victory. No chance!" I quickly grabbed a Poke Ball, knowing exactly what to do. "Rotom, come on out!" With a flash of light, the small plasmatic ghost appeared.

"Rorororo!" it chuckled, causing Mimi to shriek a little.

"Rotom, you see that camera over there?" I pointed to the device. Rotom spun around before nodding, a wide grin appearing on its face. "You feel like playing with it?" Rotom began to laugh again, sparks flying from it as it faded into the camera. There was a momentary silence, until suddenly a loud pop filled the room. Shards of the camera and film scattered across the floor. Rotom reappeared, apparently having a great time.

"No!" Mimi squealed. "I was so close, too!"

"Alright, you little slut," I cursed, pinning her against the locker. "What's this all about?"

"Heehee," she giggled innocently. "I just wanted to have some fun with you."

"Tell me the truth," I snapped. "I'm sure Rotom wouldn't mind making you go "pop" the same way that camera did." This made Mimi a little nervous.

"Fine!" she huffed. "I wanted to blackmail you so I could win because I don't think I can beat you… Happy now?" With that, she did her pink jacket back up and shoved me aside, leaving me and Rotom slightly bemused.

"You know, you could try hard to win the battle rather than try to cheat," I said with a little bit more of a calm voice. "Even if you don't win, it is the effort you make that matters. Ash showed me that today."

"Don't lecture me," Mimi snarled. "Let's just get out there and do this," with that, she picked up four Poke Balls from her changing area before walking down the corridor towards the end of her tunnel. I called Rotom back into its Poke Ball, before holding the Poke Balls of Aggron, Gabite, Houndoom and Nidorino in my pocket. I took a slightly different route, heading down a different passage until I was at the very end of the Steel Battlefield. An official was waiting for me. After that strange turn of events, I was not too sure whether or not I was ready to do this… but then I realised that perhaps that was one of Mimi's sick intentions.

"Hmph… you're going down, you harlot," I sneered to myself as I heard the crowd roar once I stepped out into view…

**TO BE CONTINUED**

_**NEXT TIME:** After a very strange confrontation, Jonathyn must now battle Mimi in what is sure to be his toughest battle yet. But what is Mimi hiding from Jonathyn and what is the true reasoning behind her actions? Jonathyn's battle finally begins in the next exciting chapter!_


	40. Chapter 40

_DISCLAIMER: I own my own house, but I do not own Pokemon! Actually, they're both lies… apart from the second one._

**THE LEAGUE OF CHAMPIONS**

**CHAPTER 40: MIMICRY UNLEASHED! A PHYSICAL AND MENTAL BATTLE!**

What had happened in the Trainer Lounge itched at the back of my mind as I paced closer and closer towards the red coloured podium. What on earth was that girl doing, trying to trick me like that? I was fortunate that my mind was sharp enough to detect that something was amiss and even luckier that Rotom had managed to destroy the camera. But still, I felt rather strange about myself. In a way, it felt kind of exciting. She had literally thrown herself at me and I had rejected her. But it was the way she acted that confused me most of all. When I first met her, she was incredibly timid. Then, when she appeared to thaw me out of Articuno's icy prison, she had a much more serious attitude… and then she came over as a total tramp. I could not read this girl, which might be one of her tactics. If I figured out what she was really like, the perhaps I could have formulated some sort of battle plan, but she was completely unreadable.

What I did know though was that she used Pokemon that were exceptional when it came down to mimicry. A Chatot, which is capable of repeating human speech, A Smeargle, which is capable of copying pretty much any move a Pokemon can learn by imitation, a Ditto which could transform into any opposing Pokemon and a Sudowoodo, which was a master at imitation as it would pretend to be a tree despite being a Rock type. All of which resulted in what would be an extremely unorthodox battle party. My main concern would be that she would possibly use all my own moves against me, so I had to think carefully about which moves I would use in battle. Gabite would be particularly at risk, since its own attacks would damage it more severely. I knew that I would have to take out Mimi quickly, otherwise I would be in deep trouble.

I looked out over the Steel Field as the podium ascended. The base of the field was covered in thick metal. There were about six large metal box-like structures dotted around the field which could be used as platforms. It was quite an impressive field, the metal seemed to shimmer a dark purple colour rather than the silver glow that I had expected. On the opposite side of the arena, I could see Mimi blowing kisses to the crowd. She really was strange, perhaps more of a worrying character than Harley, although both of them now made me feel uncomfortable when I was in either of their presences. An official took his position just as he had done in various other matches.

"This is a Fifth Round Battle on the Steel Battlefield," he began to explain to the both of us. "This will be a Four on Four Double Battle with no time restriction. Trainers are not permitted to switch any of their Pokemon unless they have been deemed unable to battle, or through the use of a legal Pokemon move. Do you both understand?" he looked at Mimi first of all, who was grinning cunningly.

"I understand," she continued to smirk, locking eyes with me once again, I quickly turned away from her gaze, a small blushing sensation quickly coming over me.

"And you, Jonathyn?" the official asked, awaiting my answer. "Do you understand?"

"Crystal clear," I replied a moment or so after, withdrawing from my pocket two Poke Balls. I knew exactly which two I had chosen to start this battle off. I pulled them out into view, but did not throw them forward until the official raised his flags to signal the start of the match. "Alright, let's do this!" I shouted, the adrenaline starting to pump through me once again. "Nidorino and Aggron, you're up!" With a flash of light, my chosen Pokemon appeared. The small poisonous creature looked up at the much larger metallic rhinoceros-like lizard, nodding at each other in recognition of their partnership.

"I choose Squawks and Woody! Come on out!" Mimi yelled, elegantly throwing her Poke Balls forward. Her Sudowoodo and Chatot appeared side by side, bracing themselves for battle.

"Squawks? Woody?" I snickered to myself at the stupid nicknames she had given to her Pokemon. I hated the thought of calling a Pokemon anything other than the name of their species. Yes, a nickname is a bit more of a personal thing between a trainer and their Pokemon, but Woody for a Pokemon? It just didn't sound right. Mimi could tell that I was secretly mocking the names of her Pokemon, but retaliated in a most surprising manner.

"Woody, use Hammer Arm on Aggron!" she ordered. "Squawks, use Aerial Ace on Nidorino!"

"Aerial Ace! Aerial Ace," the small bird replied in it's squawky voice. As quick as lightning, the two Pokemon darted forward. The Sudowoodo's branch-like hand glowed a pale brown before slamming down across Aggron's skull, which roared in agony. Chatot, despite it's small size was able to knock Nidorino to the ground with surprising ease using its Aeriel Ace. Both my Pokemon were shaken by the attack, but not critically injured just yet, although a large mark had already appeared on Aggron's skull due to the impact of the super effective move.

"I'll be that thing has Rock Head as an ability too," I muttered to myself as I noticed the Sudowoodo had taken no recoil damage from what normally would be a self-damaging move also. "No matter, we can take it out. Aggron, use your Metal Burst on Sudowoodo. Nidorino, Thunderbolt on Chatot!" With that, both my Pokemon began surging forward as well. Aggron unleashed a metallic energy using the pain that was caused from the recent Hammer Arm, sending Sudowoodo hurtling back. Meanwhile, Nidorino began charging the electrical attack and quickly struck the small parrot-like Flying Type dead on. Both of Mimi's Pokemon were definitely shaken by the two super effective attacks. To my astonishment, they did not look too damaged by my attacks, despite both being super effective. "They're stronger than I thought," I muttered to myself. I knew thought that if I kept on using these sorts of attacks, it would not be long before both the Sudowoodo and Chatot would be history.

"Don't undestimate us, sweetie pie," Mimi winked at me amorously. I frowned a little at this, before turning to my immediate left. Sat in the very front row was Misty, sat next to Brock. Anabel and Ash were also sat together, which I found a little odd since Ash had only recently lost an important battle. Even more strange was that Cynthia was sat right next to Misty, equally interested in the battle. She was obviously watching my technique, but I tried not to let that bother me. If I allowed my mind to wander just for one moment, Mimi would most certainly do something to give her the upper hand. "Squawks, use Hyper Voice on Nidorino. Woody, use Hammer Arm again." With that, Sudowoodo surged forward, raising its arm once more.

"Hyper VOICE VOICE VOICE!" the Chatot shouted with an ear-splitting screech that even caused members of the crowd to cover their ears.

"Aggron, quickly use Protect to stop both attacks!" I instructed. Aggron stepped forward, creating a barrier of multicoloured light across a wider area than it usually did. The Hyper Voice simply dispersed into silence and the Hammer Arm of the Sudowoodo simply bounced off the barrier. "Now, Nidorino use Poison Jab on that Sudowoodo." Nidorino leapt over Aggron, it's horn engulfed in a poisonous purple ooze, almost piercing the Rock Type's torso, which let out a small wail as the move connected with it. "You'll never get beyond Aggron's defences now," I taunted the harlot.

"It's only a matter of time before Protect fails you," Mimi replied snidely. "Besides, there's more than one way to win this battle." I raised my eyebrow, noting Mimi's now sly tone of voice.

"What do you mean by that?" I asked, a little concerned.

"You'll just have to wait and see," Mimi giggled far from sweetly. "And you've also made a big mistake there. Woody, use Mimic now!" I suddenly gasped, as the Sudowoodo's branches filled this time with the same purple ooze as Nidorino's horn, punching it right across the face. "Did you not remember that Poison Types are weak against their own attacks?" Mimi chuckled out loud.

"Damn," I scowled to myself. "Are you alright, Nidorino?" The Poison Pokemon looked rather shaken, but was determined to keep battling. It nodded its head, lowering it ready to attack once again. "Good! Aggron, use Shock Wave on Chatot. Nidorino, use Horn Drill on Sudowoodo." Aggron was the first to move, firing a jolt of electricity at the Music Note Pokemon, striking it with the unmissable electric attack. Nidorino darted forward, it's horn beginning to rotate like a drill, hence the name of the move. It slammed it into the Sudowoodo, which grunted a little on impact.

"Knock it off with Hammer Arm," Mimi ordered. The Imitation Pokemon quickly raised its arm and slammed it downwards, smashing Nidorino across it's back. It fell limply to the ground, but pushed it back up. The Sudowoodo glared at the Poison Type, pinning it down by pressing one foot on the area that the Hammer Arm had connected with.

"Aggron, help Nidorino with your Iron Head!" I called. The Steel Type quickly charged forward, lowering its head which was slowly filling with a silver glow.

"Squawks, Mimic!" Mimi cried.

"Mimic!" it squawked cheerfully. The Chatot then flew directly at Aggron, lowering its head in the same fashion. Both Pokemon collided head on, knocking each other down to the ground. Chatot seemed to be a little more shaken than Aggron, although the metallic lizard had also taken damage from the collision. All the while, Nidorino was still pinned down by the Sudowoodo. "Now Woody, use Poison Jab!" It raised it's fist once again, filling with toxins.

"Get out of there!" I shouted to Nidorino. "Shadow Claw!" Instantly, Nidorino raised a free claw, engulfing it in a mysterious dark aura, slashing the Rock Type across its short legs. It dropped down in pain, clutching two slash marks where the attack had sliced it. Nidorino quickly ran over to where Aggron was stood. Mimi's Sudowoodo and Chatot also regrouped side by side. "I must admit, I never thought you'd be this good," I grinned at Mimi.

"Don't try and sweet talk me out of this," Mimi chuckled. "Besides, the best has yet to come."

"I'm sure it is," I smirked cockily, "that will be when I'm declared the winner and you go home packing."

"Don't make me laugh, pretty boy," Mimi sneered back at me. "You're only winning half the battle." Once again, my suspiciousness was roused by these comments.

"Cut to the chase, Mimi," I growled. "If you're going to win this match, then do your worst!"

"All in good time," she smiled calmly. "Now, Woody… use Earthquake!" My eyes suddenly widened upon hearing this. I noticed Chatot ascend a little bit higher into the air as not to be hit by the shock waves of the quake, I assumed. The Sudowoodo slammed both its branchy fists to the ground, creating a large quake that shook the whole Steel Field. Aggron, despite taking the super effective attack had jumped up onto one of the raised Steel platforms, along with Nidorino. This seemed to be a good plan, as the metal seemed to absorb some of the quake's energy. "Damn sakes!" she cursed. "Squawks, Mimic Woody's Earthquake!" she grinned with a boastful expression.

"What!?" I gasped, as the ground once again began to shake. Once again, Aggron and Nidorino both felt the tremors through the metal which was being caused this time by the Chatot.

"Mimic Woody's Earthquake, Mimic Woody's Earthquake," it squawked as the ground shook with more intensity.

"Aggron, Protect!" I shouted. The barrier appeared momentarily, before vanishing entirely. The move had failed, which is what I feared would happen. Aggron looked highly shaken by the attack, whereas Nidorino was still reeling from the earlier Poison Jab and Hammer Arm. It must have been horrible for Nidorino to be struck down by its own moves, but I knew that it was one of Mimi's most developed tactics. Finally, the quake ceased and both Pokemon were shaken, but still standing. "Nidorino, Thunderbolt on Chatot, let's go!" Nidorino leapt forward, firing another burst of electricity which hit the Flying Type yet again. But still, it maintained flight. I could not believe just how resistant Mimi's Pokemon actually were. But then again, she wouldn't have made it this far into the competition by battling with weak Pokemon. I had never considered using a Chatot in battle and thought it was a careless and desperate move to make, but Mimi was doing it so professionally I had to admire her as a trainer. But certainly nothing more than that.

"There's no way you can withstand my Pokemon's power," Mimi smiled. "Woody, Poison Jab on Nidorino. Squawks, you use Hyper Voice on Nidorino as well!" I knew full well what Mimi was trying to do now. Now that she had worn Aggron down with those Earthquakes, she was heading to eliminate Nidorino from the battle. Not if I could help it.

"Nidorino, use your own Poison Jab to counter Sudowoodo's! And try not to listen to Chatot's Hyper Voice!" I instructed, hoping this would work. Sudowoodo's fist was thrust forward, as Nidorino forcefully shoved its horn into the poisonous punch. The Sudowoodo let out a grimacing face as the toxins that it was storing was forced further into its own body. Chatot's deafening Hyper Voice seemed to do little to Nidorino, who was facing away from the attack. "Good job, Nidorino," I grinned. "Sudowoodo has been poisoned. And that's because you stayed strong!" Nidorino seemed to grin at me, happy with its performance. "It's not over yet, stay focused," I warned it. It quickly nodded and leapt back to Aggron's side, who was still stood atop one of the steel boxes.

"So, you won't listen to my Squawks' Hyper Voice, huh?" Mimi frowned, before turning it into a malicious smirk. "I've got something that will make everyone here listen…"

"What are you talking about now?" I growled, getting frustrated with Mimi's mind games.

"I'll show you," Mimi giggled. "Squawks, how about a little Chatter?"

"Chatter?" the Chatot asked, tilting its head by about ninety degrees or more.

"That's right," Mimi grinned. "You know what to do."

"Ah," Squawks nodded, realising what it had to do. It suddenly flew past Aggron and Nidorino and maintained flight just between me and the stands. I noticed that it was slowly moving towards where Brock, Misty and the others were sat. "Jonathyn's a love-rat! Jonathyn's a love-rat!" it suddenly began to caw. My eyes widened at this, especially as its voice was growing louder and louder.

"No! Stop!" I begged, as the Chatot continued to recite the same statement over and over. "Aggron, Shock Wave! Nidorino, Thunderbolt! Do it now!" Both my Pokemon obeyed, turning their attention to the chattering Flying Type. Both electric attacks hit with a massive amount of force, but it was still not enough to knock out the bird. It quickly flew back to where the Sudowoodo was stood. I wiped a palmful of sweat from my forehead, giving Misty a somewhat guilty glare, but she seemed completely oblivious. I then focused on Mimi, who had cracked a sly grin across her face. "Why are you doing this?" I growled, clenching my fist as the anger inside of me built up.

"Why?" Mimi giggled. "Because I will do whatever it takes to win. Even if that means destroying your relationship with Misty."

"So everything that happened back there was just a farce?" I continued to interrogate, trying to block out the kiss that we shared back in the Trainer Lounge. Mimi began to blush a little.

"You're such a sweet guy," she said softly. "But you're such a nitwit as well."

"Nitwit? Is that the best insult you can come up with?" I sneered.

"Far from it," Mimi replied with a cunning smile. "You need to decide which is more valuable to you… your relationship with Misty or becoming the Pokemon League Champion. I can help you with either of those two. Either you throw the match for me or I tell Misty. Or, you can tell her what happened between us and I'll let you win the match."

"Nothing happened! There is nothing between us," I insisted forcefully.

"Isn't there?" she gleamed. "I saw the way you were looking at me in there. I could tell that you wanted it."

"Shut up!" I bellowed. "I'm never going to break up with Misty… not for you, not for anyone. I love her and her alone… more than…" I suddenly fell silent.

"Yes? Go on," Mimi urged with another sly smirk on her face. I began to turn red, not with lust but with anger.

"…more than life itself!" I finished. "Now to shut you up once and for all! Aggron, use Shock Wave and Nidorino use Thunderbolt to finish off that Chatot!" My Pokemon, who had been patiently been waiting for an instruction suddenly unleashed their electric attacks.

"Woody, take the hit!" Mimi countered. The Sudowoodo jumped right in the path of the electric attacks, although it didn't seem too badly injured from the two moves. It's Rock Type traits meant electric attacks weren't all that effective. "Now use Hammer Arm on Aggron. Squawks, use Aerial Ace on Nidorino." The two Pokemon suddenly surged forward.

"Aggron, Protect now! Nidorino, get behind Aggron!" I instructed, using the same tactic I had done before. The Sudowoodo's Hammer Arm did nothing but bounce off the barrier, but Chatot was agile enough to swoop past Aggron and connect the Aerial Ace to Nidorino.

"About time," Mimi grinned. "Squawks, Mimic!"

"Squawks Mimic," the small parrot-like Pokemon cawed…

"Aggron, Shock Wave. Nidorino, Thunderbolt on Chatot. Let's go!" I shouted, hoping to silence that bird before it made this situation even worse.

"Protect!" Mimi grinned, causing me to gasp. Of course! That Chatot must have Mimicked Aggron's Protect just now. The electric attacks bounced harmlessly away from the Chatot, which cackled in the same way as its trainer. I was about to curse, when I suddenly noticed that Mimi had left her Sudowoodo prone. I now had a difficult decision. Either take out the Sudowoodo first since it was vulnerable or keep on trying to eliminate that Chatot. I then suddenly had a great idea.

"Aggron, Nidorino… keep on using your electric attacks on Chatot!" I smiled. The two bolts of electricity surged forward.

"Squawks, Protect again!" Mimi shouted. Unofrtunately once again the attacks bounced off the small bird-like Pokemon. "What are you trying to prove, Jonathyn?" Mimi scowled a little.

"You'll see," I winked at her with a cunning expression of my own, causing her to frown a little. At least she wasn't the only one who could play these mind games.

"Oh yeah?" she suddenly grinned. "You've forgotten one small thing. Woody, Hammer Arm on Aggron, now!" With that, the Sudowoodo swung its fist downwards whilst lunging at Aggron. I did not feel the need to have it use Protect this time around. Aggron let out a horrific roar as the super effective move made contact.

"Stay strong, Aggron." I smiled, noticing the sheer determination of my Steel Rock Type. Finally, Sudowoodo leapted back out of harms way… or so it thought. "Aggron, use Metal Burst on Sudowoodo with everything you've got! Nidorino, Thunderbolt on Chatot at max power!" With that, Aggron's unleashed an incredible amount of stored energy as Nidorino fired what must have been the largest Thunderbolt I had ever seen it use.

"Squawks! Protect quickly!" Mimi stammered. "Woody… use…" she fell silent as the Metal Burst attack struck the Sudowoodo dead on. Nidorino's Thunderbolt was jostling to get through the Chatot's Protect, before suddenly smashing through the barrier and striking the bird. Both of her Pokemon were screeching in pain, before falling down onto the metal floor in defeat.

"Sudowoodo and Chatot are both unable to battle!" the official declared. The crowd suddenly erupted for me as I had taken both Pokemon down in the same turn, which the crowds usually loved to see. I embraced the cheers momentarily, before looking over to a frustrated looking Mimi. I was delighted that my tactic had worked. Despite the fact that her Chatot had learned Protect, it was only a matter of time before it failed it. And during that time as well, by using Protect it was unable to use Chatter, meaning that my horrible secret was now silenced. As for the Sudowoodo, I was fortunate that Mimi had it use Hammer Arm on Aggron, rather than Poison Jab on Nidorino. At least Aggron was able to effectively counter attack with Metal Burst.

"Go Jonathyn," I heard Misty call from the stands. This made me smile a little, although I would never be able to face her if word got out about Mimi's stolen kiss. The girl herself had now recalled the Sudowoodo and Chatot back into their Poke Balls.

"This battle isn't over yet," Mimi grinned. "Jelly! Picasso! I choose you!" she yelled, throwing the two balls forward. This is what I was slightly concerned by. Her two most unorthodox Pokemon. The small pink blob known as Jelly was a Ditto. The Smeargle that had appeared beside it was obviously named Picasso. I noticed that this particular Smeargle was not the one that had helped defrost me from Articuno's icy prison… this one was of an unusual colour… it was green rather than beige. "This is Jelly, my Ditto and Picasso, my Shiny Smeargle." Mimi grinned. "You think that you can still win?"

"I know so," I replied coolly.

"Let the battle resume!" the official shouted, raising his flags high into the air.

"Jelly, Transform into Aggron!" Mimi smirked. There was a sudden flash of light, engulfing the whole of the Ditto's body. The light began to expand, before fading to reveal a second Aggron had appeared on the battlefield. Her Ditto had taken the form of my own Aggron to perfect detail. I was completely awestruck at the incredible transformation. "Picasso, use Volt Tackle on Nidorino!" The Shiny Smeargle suddenly bolted forward, it's whole body producing a huge electric aura around it. It gained more and more speed, before slamming straight into Nidorino with such force that it was hurled back into my podium. It fell down the ground, before trying to get back up to its feet.

"Nidorino, are you alright?" I asked with great concern. The Nidorino let out a small growl, before pushing itself up on all four legs. It let out a loud, exhausted grunt before falling to the floor, not longer able to stand. The official quickly raised his flag.

"Nidorino has been defeated!" he instantaneously declared. The crowd then let out some more cheers, mainly Mimi's fans. I noticed that Misty, Cynthia, Anabel, Ash and Brock weren't exactly thrilled that Nidorino had been knocked out of the battle. But I was grateful for what it had done for me. I summoned it back into its Poke Ball, a red beam firing out from it before sucking the defeated Poison Type back into the ball.

"You did great, Nidorino," I spoke to the ball, knowing full well that it could hear me inside it. "Take a good long rest, you deserve it." With that, I placed the ball back into my pocket. Mimi had an incredibly smug look on her face.

"You don't stand a chance," Mimi smirked. "There's no way you can beat Picasso alone, never mind alongside my Jelly."

"We all live in hope," I replied coldly, examining the two Pokemon that I was facing. That Volt Tackle that the Smeargle had produced was highly impressive and her Ditto could use all of Aggron's abilities to the same level. Gabite could be useful against it, but its Dragon Type attacks wouldn't do much good against Aggron, although its Ground attacks would. And I didn't even know what other sort of moves that Shiny Smeargle possessed. I picked out my chosen Poke Ball from my pocket.

"Houndoom, let's go!" I called, throwing the ball forward. The Dark Fire type appeared next to my Aggron, snarling and baring its fangs at the opponents. "I refuse to allow you to win this battle, Mimi," I scowled. "I will take my place as Pokemon League Champion and I'm not going to let a piece of trash like you get in my way!"

"That's not very nice," Mimi smirked innocently. "And there I was thinking we could be friends…"

**TO BE CONTINUED**

_**NEXT TIME:** After taking an early advantage against the conniving Mimi, Jonathyn must now battle against Mimi's Ditto and Smeargle. What tricks does Mimi have up her sleeve? And will Jonathyn succumb to her mind games?_


	41. Chapter 41

_**DISCLAIMER:** I do not own Poke, I do not own mon either… and I certainly do not own Pokemon._

_**MESSAGE TO READERS:** My apologies for the lack of an update in the last month or so. As you can probably tell, I've been working on my secondary story "A Smeargle's Tale" quite a lot and neglecting this one. However, we're back in full swing now and I've finally managed to update this story with the next part of Jonathyn's thrilling battle with Mimi._

_I'm really looking for reviews for both "The League Of Champions" and "A Smeargle's Tale" so please submit your opinions, good or bad! I love to know what other people think so that I know whether I am doing something right or whether there are things that I need to improve on! I can't stress enough how important this is to me as an aspiring author._

_Without further delay, go grab a lemonade or something, kick back and enjoy!_

**THE LEAGUE OF CHAMPIONS**

**CHAPTER 41: JELLY AND PICASSO! TRANSFORMING WITH DETERMINATION!**

As I pondered which strategy I would use this time to take out Mimi's two remaining Pokemon, I wondered to myself how to handle dealing with that Ditto's attacks. At least I knew what to expect, since it only knew the moves my Aggron did. But then again, that alternately-coloured Smeargle was a complete wildcard. I had no clue on what moves it could use other than that Volt Tackle it had used to eliminate Nidorino. At least it used a move that damaged itself in the process. And whilst in Aggron's form, the Ditto it would be weak to Houndoom's Fire Type attacks. Yet Mimi still maintained a confident, almost cocky smirk on her face. She had a reason to, as I still hadn't fully worked out a battle plan to deal with her Smeargle.

"I've got your number, Jonathyn," Mimi taunted. "Even though you managed to take out my Woody and Squawks, there's no way you can stand up to these two."

"We'll see," I growled, trying to pay no attention to her claims. "Aggron, use Iron Head on the other Aggron. Houndoom, use Faint Attack on the Smeargle." In its usual aggressive manner, Aggron charged forward, lowering its head. Houndoom ran alongside Aggron before fading into thin air.

"Jelly, use Iron Head back!" Mimi retaliated. I was quite surprised that she did not instruct her Smeargle to try and avoid Houndoom's Faint Attack, which quickly struck the nicknamed Picasso from behind. Aggron's head collided with that of its doppelganger, resulting in a tremendous struggle. Neither Pokemon wanted to give up, but eventually it was the clone that broke through the other's defences, sending my Aggron tumbling backwards. It shook of the cobwebs, holding its temple in discomfort. Mimi showed off another wicked grin, content with her Ditto's power. "My Ditto can copy any of your Pokemon and exceed their skills more than you can imagine," Mimi smiled. "I have raised it to a much higher level than my other Pokemon."

"Damn," I scowled to myself. "She can use my own Pokemon's powers again me and do them a lot better as well. I guess we'll just have to prove that WE are better than she thinks."

"I doubt that," she chuckled, overhearing my words. "Picasso, use Spore on Aggron." The strange coloured Smeargle armed itself with its tail, before waving it up above its head. A strange powdery substance floated through the air, slowly moving towards Aggron.

"Aggron, Protect!" I called. I knew full well that if those sleeping spores made contact with my Steel Type, I would be at a major disadvantage. And Houndoom might not be able to fend off both the Smeargle and Ditto all by itself. Fortunately, the defensive move was activated just in time as the spores blew harmlessly over Aggron's barrier. "Alright, now Houndoom use Fire Blast on the other Aggron." Houndoom snarled, before spitting a ball of fire from its mouth, expanding into a five-pointed star shape. Mimi simply seemed to chuckle at this move.

"Anything you can do, we can do better," she giggled. "Jelly, Protect. Picasso, Volt Tackle." The Smeargle weaved past the Fire Blast, which disintegrated harmlessly against the doppelganger's very own barrier. As the Painter Pokemon ran forward, another aura of electrical energy engulfed its body in the same way it had done to knock out Nidorino only moments ago. It slammed ferociously into Houndoom, which was still catching its breath. Houndoom was sent skidding backwards, but still managed to maintain a vertical base. "Give up yet?" Mimi taunted with a smile.

"Hardly," I frowned. "Houndoom, use Fire Blast again. Aggron, use Shock Wave on the Smeargle." I called. The Dark Fire Type quickly unleashed a second star of flame, as Aggron shot a burst of electricity from its horn. This time, both attacks connected. "Yeah!" I grinned to myself, happy that the attacks had hit their mark. I then glimpsed over towards Mimi, who looked rather unimpressed. This took me a little by surprise.

"Is that the very best you've got?" she chuckled, as both of her Pokemon did not even appear to have a scratch on them. I gasped. How on earth had she managed to raise their defense levels so high? "You can't keep using Protect forever," Mimi grinned, content with the predicament she had put me in. "Picasso, try Spore one more time on Aggron. Jelly, you use Shock Wave on Houndoom!"

"Aggron, Protect again!" I shouted, praying that the defensive move would not fail me. "Houndoom, use Flamethrower to burn that Spore!" I could see Houndoom hastily preparing to fire the stream of flame, but before it could the jolt of electricity struck it in the face, knocking it down to the ground. I could see that the light produced from Aggron's Protect was far less intense than before… so much so that it faded into nothing. I cursed beneath my breath as the sleep inducing pollen covered the Steel Type. Aggron thrashed its arms, attempting to blow the Spore away, to no avail. The Grass Type move's effects began to settle, as Aggron closed its eyes slowly. It was out on its feet. "Houndoom, Faint Attack that Smeargle!" I roared, the fact that my Aggron was completely immobile on the battlefield made me full of rage. Mimi seemed to chuckle at this, whilst winking at me in seductive mockery.

"Jelly, use Protect to counter that move!" Mimi instructed, as the doppelganger Aggron stampeded over in front of the much smaller Smeargle. I then grinned to myself.

"Have you forgotten that Faint Attack never misses?" I smiled. "Even though your other Pokemon is defending it, it isn't the target." With that, Houndoom emphasised my point by suddenly reappearing after fading into thin air and striking the Smeargle hard with the Dark Type attack. Although it was sent skidding along the surface of the metallic field, it still did not appear to take as much damage as I would have liked. It was also a problem that I was not allowed to withdraw Aggron until he had been defeated. Either that, or it would be deemed unable to battle anyway if I returned it into its Poke Ball in its current state.

"You're going to have to do a lot better than a Faint Attack to knock out Jelly and Picasso," Mimi taunted. "There's two ways we can do this. We can either take out your Aggron while it's asleep whilst holding off your Houndoom, or we can gang up on the Houndoom whilst Aggron is asleep. Ooh, decisions, decisions…"

"Well, while you're deciding…" I grinned. "Houndoom, Fire Blast on the Ditto!" Mimi suddenly pricked her ears up as Houndoom produced another of its five-pointed star shaped flames from its mouth. It shot straight towards the Ditto…"

"Protect!" Mimi shouted. I suddenly sighed and growled simultaneously… but both of which changed to ecstatic cheers when I noticed that Jelly's attempted Protect had failed it. The Fire Blast approached ever closer. "Picasso, intercept it!" Mimi shouted desperately. The green Smeargle obeyed, leaping in front of the star. It exploded on impact, knocking the Smeargle back. This time, I noticed that the attack had done a lot more damage than when it was launched before, so much so that the Smeargle was still smouldering a little. The smell of charred fur wafted past me… a sickening smell, at that. I grinned in satisfaction of the move. "Don't think that we're done yet," Mimi called, a small smirk appearing on her face. "Use Heal Order, Picasso!" she spoke, with a smirk that wiped my own off my face. The alternately-coloured Smeargle raised its tail above its head… from nowhere, a small swarm of Combee appeared, literally covering the Smeargle from view. After a few moments of this, they flew away, disappearing as fast as they had appeared. When I looked back at Picasso, it had been fully healed.

"Damn that move," I scowled, remembering the problems that that very move had caused during my Second Round Battle against Casey and her Vespiquen. That battle seemed like such a long time ago… then I remembered my other battles that I had fought… my first battle against Carl and his Rhyhorn that knew Ice Beam… the battle against Darkhan and his Weezing and Espeon… then the battle against Sandra... she had done so much to help me lately and now she was in a terrible state. I clenched my fist… I had fought out of much worse predicaments than this since my arrival at the Pokemon League and I would be damned if I was about to lose out to some harlot. "Let's give this our all, Houndoom!" I growled competitively in the same way as my Houndoom, which did the same in response. "Use Flamethrower on the Ditto!" I shouted, before looking down at my Aggron, who was still sound asleep. "Aggron, wake up!" I shouted to it, but it gave no response other than producing a small bubble of phlegm from its nostril. "That went well," I sighed, before noticing Houndoom's Flamethrower had been intercepted by another Protect.

"Picasso, use Spore on the Houndoom!" Mimi shouted.

"Faint Attack!" I quickly instructed. Just as the green furred Smeargle sent out another wave of pollen. Just inches away from my Pokemon, Houndoom faded from view, the Spore floating harmlessly past. Houndoom then reappeared right behind the Smeargle, hitting it just as hard as it had done before.

"Iron Head, Jelly!" Mimi suddenly called, disregarding the attack on her Smeargle. The Ditto lowered her head in identical fashion to my own Aggron, ramming it with its metallic skull. Houndoom let out a howl of pain as it struck its side, knocking it down to the ground. "Now Picasso, Spore it!" she called. The green Smeargle quickly sent out another cloud of pollen towards Houndoom… this time, there was no way for it to dodge. The Spore smothered Houndoom, which in turn quickly nodded off into a sound sleep. Mimi whooped with delight, but I was far from pleased with this… "Now both of your Pokemon are asleep, Jonathyn," she smiled sweetly, yet wickedly. "How are you going to get out of this one?" I did not give an answer. I was dumbstruck by this tactic. Both my Pokemon were asleep and completely at the mercy of Mimi's Smeargle and Ditto. "I'll put you out of your misery," she giggled. "Jelly, use Iron Head on the Houndoom. Picasso, take down Aggron with your Flare Blitz!" With that, both her Pokemon charged forward. Jelly quickly hit Houndoom with a second headbutt of steel, whilst Picasso surged forward, engulfing itself with a ball of fire, slamming into Aggron. I heard a roar of pain, as Aggron fell to the ground, before pushing itself back up onto its feet.

"At least you managed to wake up my Aggron in the process," I smiled. "And Houndoom won't be long behind with its Early Bird ability. Aggron, take these guys out! Use Metal Burst!" I shouted. Knowing full well that the Fire Type attack that the Smeargle had used against Aggron would boost Metal Burst's power, Aggron appeared to be as confident as I was. An amazing flash of silver light covered the arena, causing members of the crowd to gasp with awe as the reflection from the Steel battlefield shone over them. The Smeargle was sent hurtling back from the attack, wounded greatly once again. "Follow up with Shock Wave!" I shouted.

"Jelly, get a Shock Wave in before Aggron does!" Mimi ordered. Aggron, who was still a little weary from launching his Metal Burst could not launch the attack in time as the Ditto quickly summoned a Shock Wave of its own, striking Aggron in the chest. "Heal Order," Mimi called to her Smeargle, which quickly summoned the Combee once before by raising its paintbrush shaped tail into the air.

"Damn it!" I growled, growing more frustrated by the use of that move.

"Now then, Jelly… use Iron Head on Houndoom again!" she ordered. "Picasso, you use Volt Tackle!" Both her Pokemon quickly darted towards the prone Houndoom, but to my surprise it sprung into the air with great agility. Even I had not anticipated it awakening from the Spore's effects THIS quickly. Mimi's Ditto completely missed it's Iron Head attack, although her Smeargle had encased itself in a wild electrical flare.

"Aggron, intercept with Iron Head!" I called. The Steel Rock Type charged forward, it's head lowered. Both attacks collided, with Aggron not taking as much damage as I thought. The Smeargle however was sent hurtling as the Steel Type neutralised the electrical current. "Now Fire Blast, Houndoom!" I roared, as the Dark Fire Type produced yet another of its almost humanoid star-shaped fireballs.

"Protect!" Mimi shouted, as her Ditto in Aggron form jumped in front of the green Smeargle, it's metallic hide glowing a spectrum of light. The Fire Blast hit the Aggron, but it simply dispersed into nothing more than a puff of smoke. The crowd let out a wild roar, cheering for both Mimi and myself. Despite the problems that I have had dealing with the Smeargle and Ditto, I was still at the advantage. Particularly as I still had Gabite in reserve. I had also realised that Gabite would negate at least two of the moves being used against me, Shock Wave and Volt Tackle. Flare Blitz would be relatively useless since Gabite had a natural resistance to fire… but I daren't dawdle on this aspect for too long, since Mimi was preparing the next wave of attack. Already, she had ordered Picasso to use Heal Order during my wonderment session… "Jelly, Shock Wave on Houndoom!" she called, as the burst of electricity knocked the Dark Pokemon down. Although it was not out for the count just yet, I could tell that it was growing a little bit tired, as was Aggron who had been battling from the start. "Your Pokemon won't be able to last much longer Jonathyn!" Mimi called to me, tauntingly. "Why don't you just give up now and spare yourself the embarrassment?"

"As if!" I chuckled, almost in disbelief that Mimi would still even consider that to be an option. "Aggron, use Iron Head on that fake!" I shouted. Aggron stared down its doppelganger, before charging straight at it.

"Iron Head as well!" Mimi grinned as her Ditto also surged forward. Both her Smeargle and my Houndoom waited impatiently for their instructions, but both Mimi and I both seemed to be equally as interested in seeing which "Aggron" would come out as the stronger. They were approaching imminent impact! "Swerve!" Mimi suddenly shouted. Was that some sort of attack or something? I was proved wrong as her Ditto literally swerved in the direction of Houndoom, sending Aggron flying forward from its own momentum. It screeched to a halt, but there was nothing that it or I could do… "Volt Tackle!" Mimi quickly added, as her Smeargle gave chase to the Ditto, which slammed its skull once again into the side of Houndoom. It let out a tremendously agonised yelp of pain, but it was soon followed by an even worse as the Smeargle struck with it's Volt Tackle, literally knocking Houndoom unconscious upon impact.

"Jonathyn's Houndoom has been eliminated," the official declared quickly, raising one of his flags. I did not pay attention to which one. I was more concerned with Houndoom. I grabbed its Poke Ball out of my pocket, withdrawing it back into the comfort of the spherical device. As I retrieved it, I stared at the ball with the deepest of gratitude.

"Houndoom, thank you for you effort. Rest well," I smiled to the ball, before switching it the Poke Ball of my fourth and final Pokemon. "This is going to be our toughest battle yet and I need one hundred percent. I'll do my very best too. Let's go, Gabite!" I launched the Poke Ball forward, my dual Ground Dragon Type appearing onto the battlefield. It took a small glance over to Aggron, before noticing its opponents.

"I figured you'd use your Gabite eventually!" Mimi grinned. "I've got just the strategy to take it down! Picasso, use Spore now!"

"Oh, no you don't!" I smiled. "Gabite, use Dig!" Just as the Smeargle sent out its sleep-inducing pollen, Gabite swiped its elbow fins at the ground. Not even the surface of the hardened Steel Field could stop Gabite from penetrating it, as it quickly faded from view. "Aggron, use Iron Head on the Smeargle this time!" I called. Just as it did before, it rushed towards the opponent, although it had to lower its head considerably lower than it did before, since the Smeargle was a much smaller target. This time, Mimi was taken by surprise. Aggron had dug deep to pull out such a sudden burst of speed, catching Picasso off guard. I knew though that we would have to keep the onslaught going on the Smeargle, otherwise it would only heal itself with that darned Heal Order technique. "Come on up, Gabite!" I shouted as loud as I could so that my Dragon Type could hear me beneath the thick metal. It obviously heard every word as it burst through the ground and sent the Smeargle flying into the air.

"Spore, quickly!" Mimi shrieked, a little desperately. The green Smeargle quickly shot another of the Grass Type attacks onto the battlefield… unfortunately for me, Aggron was still recovering from the Iron Head and did not even see the Spore coming.

"Aggron, look out!" I bawled, but it was too late. Even Aggron knew so once he inhaled the spores. He staggered back to at least try not to leave himself exposed in the open. Instead, he fell backwards onto his hide, sat upright against my podium whilst snoring loudly. "Not again…" I growled, but this was no time to lose my focus. "Gabite, use Dragon Rush on the Smeargle!" I called. Gabite suddenly darted forward, its body leaving behind blue streamer-like streaks of energy.

"Jelly, Shock Wave to intercept it!" Mimi cried, which resulted in the Ditto, who somehow STILL managed to maintain Aggron's form firing a jolt of electricity at Gabite, which bounced off harmlessly. In her desperation, she had forgotten Gabite's Ground Type duality with the Dragon Type. And it is a well known fact that attacks of the Electric element have no effect at all on Ground Types. Mimi's eyes widened as Gabite's Dragon Rush struck the green Smeargle with incredible force. It fell limply to the ground. It tried to get back up to it's feet, but found great difficulty in doing so. Mimi's face was a picture… completely shocked, yet sad and angry all rolled into one face.

"Finish it with one more Dragon Rush!" I instructed with a smile, as Gabite darted further forward, once more a trail of blue light followed it, although it did not really fully fade from the first Dragon Rush. To my delight, it struck the Smeargle once again. This time, there was no way of it getting back up. I noticed the dazed look in its eyes, which the crowd cheered almost as loud as I did as the official raised his flag. I'm sure that he must have said that the Smeargle was unable to battle, but his voice was completely drowned out by the cheers of the crowd and also my own. Anyone would have thought I'd have won the whole match, but that was not the case just yet… there was still one more opponent to take down, that Ditto…

"I can't believe you beat my poor little Picasso!" Mimi whimpered, tears in her eyes. "I'll make sure you pay!"

"With just that one Pokemon?" I asked sarcastically. "You've got no chance. Your Ditto is identical to my Aggron in every way. And I know all the strengths and weaknesses of my Aggron. A copy is never a good as the real thing!"

"Really?" Mimi grinned slyly. "The real thing is sound asleep and my Jelly knows everything that your Aggron knows. And I know that it's more than enough to take out your Gabite. Jelly, use Iron Head on Gabite!" she shouted. Quickly, the Iron Head attack struck my Gabite with brutal force, so much so that it appeared to be a critical hit. I grunted as the move struck, growling at the fact that her Ditto was still able to cause damage to Gabite. "Face it, there's not a thing you can do."

"Oh yeah?" I snarled in response before an idea popped into my head. "Gabite, Dig!" As it had done before, it used its fins to slice through the steel base of the battlefield like a hot knife through butter. As it vanished beneath the surface, Mimi let out a squeamish, yet mocking laugh. I wondered what was so funny to her, but what confused me even more was that she did not even tell her Ditto to try and counter the move at all. "Well, if you're so willing to be beaten that you won't even evade it…" I chuckled. "Come on up, Gabite…"

"Protect, now!" she shouted, grinning at me cunningly.

"Oh, shit!" I cursed out loud. "How the hell did I not see that coming." Gabite popped up from beneath the ground, but the Ditto's protective barrier simply caused it to rebound away, the attack doing no damage at all.

"I thought you said the real Aggron was better than any fake?" Mimi taunted once again. I clenched my fist, shaking with anger. I knew that there would be one move that would be able to put an end to all this… and that was Earthquake. The only problem for me was the fact that the attack would also hurt Aggron, who was still fast asleep on the battlefield. Dragon Claw would be pretty much useless against the Ditto's newly acquired Steel Type attributes. Even Dragon Rush would be just about as futile. Dig could be countered simply by using Protect, since it took two separate turns to attack. Earthquake truly was my only option until Aggron woke up, but even Aggron itself would not be able to penetrate the Ditto's defences. I acknowledged what I had to do to win this battle…

"Aggron, return!" I called, not at all sceptical at this sacrifice. The crowd seemed to gasp a little, confused by my motives. Despite the fact that Aggron COULD technically still battle, there was no point it getting injured from Gabite's attacks. And I'm sure that Aggron would appreciate my consideration as well. "Thank you for your hard work, Aggron," I spoke to the Poke Ball which now contained my withdrawn Aggron. "Take a good rest, you'll soon battle again." I placed the ball back into my pocket, looking over to Gabite, who was glaring at the Ditto with what appeared to more than just competitiveness… it seemed to look grudgingly at it.

"That's a mistake you'll regret," Mimi once again sneered at me. "Jelly, use Iron Head!" she shouted. The Ditto stomped forward rapidly, attempting to headbutt my Gabite once again.

"Gabite, Earthquake!" I shouted. With that, Gabite quickly leapt into the air, evading the Iron Head attack, before stomping both feet onto the ground as it landed, rocking the entire arena as it had done in past battles. The Ditto began to wobble until finally a fissure erupted from the steel below, knocking the fake Aggron to the steel floor. I let out a small grin, knowing full well how much the super effective damage had affected the Ditto, since I had seen the effects of the attack on my own Aggron in the past. I knew this would not yet be enough to fully knock out the Ditto, but that time was drawing ever nearer. I could almost taste victory.

"Ah, I get it," Mimi smiled strangely. "You withdrew your Aggron so you could use Earthquake without knocking it out yourself. But in the process, you eliminated it from battle anyway… and Earthquake only powers up the strongest move in your Aggron's arsenal. Now, Jelly! Metal Burst!" I gasped, completely neglecting this possibility at the time, as the Ditto began to fill the arena with an even brighter silver light than when the Smeargle had used Flare Blitz on my own Aggron. The resulting explosion almost knocked Gabite right out cold in one hit. It skidded and screeched across the steel battlefield, before weakly pushing itself back up onto it's feet, glaring at the Ditto with what appeared to be pure venom. The Ditto itself had an incredibly smug expression on its face, matching the one of its trainer. "Your Gabite can't stand to the power of my Ditto whilst it is an Aggron…" Mimi giggled maliciously. For some reason, these words seemed to ring out in my mind over and over… somehow I could tell that Gabite was thinking the same thing. The determination in its eyes seemed supernatural, like nothing I had ever seen before… in fact, there was only one time previously, whilst Aggron was a Lairon right before it…

My train of thought suddenly went of the rails as Gabite let out an enraged roar that echoed ominously throughout the arena. Mimi shuddered, cowering in her podium. Even her Ditto appeared to be quite scared by this sudden outburst. Gabite still did not take its eyes off the Ditto, when my mind suddenly clicked as to what was going on…

"Aggron and Gabite… are rivals…" I gasped so that only I could hear. "Gabite must see this as a chance to prove it is better than Aggron, although its anger has probably blinded it from the fact that it isn't actually my Aggron he's facing…" I remembered to myself that despite my attempts for them to get along, they would always be at each others throats. Even when situations rose when they HAD to work together, the tension could still be felt between them. And now, Gabite saw this as an opportunity either to vent its frustration, or it truly believed that this was an all out battle between the two of them. Gabite, still roaring with fury had began to flash a little, a strange white aura surrounding its body… before finally, it's whole body was consumed by this light. The whole crowd gasped in awe, as the light seemed to expand into a much larger form. I could not believe what I was seeing! Slowly, the light began to fade, revealing that Gabite… was no longer a Gabite. I let out a small gasp, before smiling happily and contently with what had just happened.

"This is it, Mimi," I grinned. "Garchomp, Earthquake at full power!" The newly evolved Mach Pokemon quickly pounded the ground with its elbow fins, which had also grown much larger than before. The fissure that resulted was almost instantaneous. Mimi seemed to call an instruction, but no sound came from her mouth. Even the Ditto itself had frozen, whether it be in shock and/or awe. The Ditto was literally sent flying skywards, before crashing back down onto the solid steel below with such an impact that a crater of metal was formed. Gabite…or rather Garchomp simply stared contently with the damage it had done, as did I. This time, there was no way that the Ditto could get up. This fact was confirmed as the form of the Aggron began to glow slightly, before reverting back to the original state of a small pink blob…

"Ditto can no longer battle," the official announced. "The winner of the Fifth Round Battle is Jonathyn Christian and his Garchomp!" All my thoughts were suddenly distorted by an eruption of cheers from the fans nearby. I sighed with relief. For now, at least, the battle was over…

**TO BE CONTINUED**

_**Next Time:** What response will Mimi give as a result of her defeat? Can Jonathyn hide the truth from Misty about that kiss? And what new conflict will occur between Aggron and Garchomp now that it has evolved?_


End file.
